Justin Turner, Blue Jays agree to one-year deal

Justin Turner, Blue Jays agree to one-year deal

The Toronto Blue Jays have found their designated hitter. The team officially agreed to a one-year, $13 million deal with Justin Turner, MLB.com insider Jon Morosi was among the first to report Tuesday. He will have $1.5 million in roster and performance bonuses that have yet to be disclosed, according to Morosi.

Turner is entering his age-39 season, though he’s been one of MLB’s most consistent bats. He spent the 2023 season with another AL East foe, the Boston Red Sox, where he slashed .275/.345/455 with 23 home runs and 96 RBIs. He did sport the second-highest strikeout rate (17.6%) of his career with an 8.2 percent walk rate, similar to his career average (8.9 BB%).

According to Statcast, his strikeout rate graded in the 77th percentile, while his whiff rate placed in the 91st percentile and his chase rate in the 71st percentile. His barrel rate dipped to the 25th percentile, the lowest of his career. It will be interesting to see if he can get progress to the mean in a better lineup with more protection, projecting to be a middle-of-the-order bat.

He will add to the stock of right-handed bats that the Blue Jays already possess in George Springer, Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk. Turner will likely split time at DH and 1B when Guerrero needs a day off. 

He only logged seven appearances at the hot corner last season–where he spent the majority of his career–though avoiding additional mileage on his legs is the best-case scenario for all parties. Toronto’s current third baseman is newly acquired Isiah Kiner-Falefa, the current heir apparent for defensive stalwart Matt Chapman, who remains unsigned at the time of this publishing. They might need to upgrade that position at some point, but at least Turner has experience there if that goes array.

It remains to be seen if he will maintain his effectiveness at the plate, but the Jays have presumably found their short-term designated hitter, at least until the early August trade deadline. Is this a good move for Toronto? Let us know in the comments!

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