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The Chicago Cubs are squarely in the mix for infielder Alex Bregman, the best remaining MLB free agent still available. But if they don't land the two-time All-Star from the Houston Astros, they may look to veteran Justin Turner instead.
Chicago is already looking into the possibility of signing Turner, league sources told Patrick Mooney and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic on Monday.
Turner, who just turned 40, is coming off a season in which he split time with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. Though he only hit 11 home runs in 139 games, compared to the 23 he hit in 2023, Turner still hit .259 with a 114 OPS+.
As the well-traveled infielder remains on the market, the Cubs could have an advantage, according to Mooney and Rosenthal.
“Turner and his wife Kourtney, who is from Indiana, are intrigued by the idea of spending the summer in Chicago, league sources said,” they wrote. “Going to Wrigley Field as a Cub would complete a sort of big-market circle for Turner, who already has played for the Red Sox, Dodgers and New York Mets during his 16-year major-league career.”
Spotrac projects Turner to be worth around $7.7 million in free agency, which should fall into the Cubs' financial plans.
“Turner’s contract expectations should easily fit within the Cubs’ baseball operations budget, which chairman Tom Ricketts has signaled will likely end up around the $241 million luxury-tax threshold,” the Athletic story added.
Looking at Justin Turner's fit with the Cubs
Even if Turner's power numbers aren't where they once were, there were promising signs last season. For example, his walk rate and line drive percentages were both up from 2023, while he hit fewer ground balls. On the other hand, his hard-hit percentage dropped seven points and got worse as the season wore on.
The Cubs can't be looking at Turner strictly as a 1:1 replacement for Bregman if they're unsuccessful in landing him. Though Turner can play third base, he hasn't done that for more than 66 games in a season since 2021. At his age, he's more likely to find success as a full-time first baseman/designated hitter, with the ability to help out at third in a pinch.
Turner can, however, provide some pop while prospect Matt Shaw has a chance to earn his role as the starting third baseman.
“It’s time for Matt to go out and play,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said, per Mooney and Rosenthal. “Matt’s passed a lot of tests. He’s a talented young player. The message is, Matt’s got a shot at it. There’s no question about it. He’s squarely in the mix. He is going to get the first shot at it.”
