Cubs Land Big Fish! Lucrative Deal for Veteran Slugger Send Shockwaves Through MLB
The Chicago Cubs made a huge move on Tuesday morning when they locked down veteran infielder Justin Turner to a lucrative one-year deal with a base salary of $6 million plus an additional potential $2.5 million which would come from incentives.
On the surface, it seems like a significant financial commitment from the Cubs to a player who is now 40 years old and coming off a season in which he didn’t exactly light the world on fire offensively.
But looking a bit deeper, bringing in Turner is a sensational move which has the potential to be one of the most significant acquisitions of the entire offseason for Chicago.
For one, while Turner was down from the standard he has established over the years in 2024, he still produced, slashing .259/.354/.383 for an OPS of .737 across stints with both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Seattle Mariners. He was also at his best at the end of the season, hitting five of his 11 home runs on the year in the final 48 games.
Turner was also coming off a 2023 season with the Boston Red Sox in which he slashed .276/.345/.455 for an OPS of .800 with 23 home runs and a career-high 96 RBI at the age of 38.
That solid on-base percentage and plate discipline which he has prided himself on throughout the year does not go away even with age and while the veteran may not be the feared hitter he once was, he’s still going to be critical in helping the offense create baserunners.
A World Series champion in 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Turner also brings a winning mindset to a Chicago team which is all in on getting it done this season.
Perhaps more important than any statistic or championship pedigree Turner brings however is the insurance policy he provides at third base. Everyone in the organization is excited about top prospect Matt Shaw, but relying on a rookie who has not yet debuted to immediately take the leap to the MLB level at one of the most difficult positions defensively is a tall ask.
Shaw has also dealt with an oblique injury during camp, further complicating the possibility of him beginning the season starting at third without a full spring training.
It’s not to say the youngster can’t make a serious impact this season, his numbers in Triple-A indicate strongly that he’s ready.
In Turner though, the Cubs are getting a player with 16 years of big league experience who even if he never played an inning this year serves as a mentor to a young player trying to figure out how to play professional baseball at the highest level.
With the ability to play first and second as well, Turner at the very least is a versatile bench piece who can help Chicago in multiple ways when injuries inevitably occur. Chances are however, the Cubs will rely on him to be much more than that. And by all indications, the two-time All-Star will be ready when called upon.
