The Philadelphia Phillies are a major competitor to make sure the Chicago Cubs aren’t able to steal Trea Turner from the Los Angeles Dodgers. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
The Chicago Cubs are one of the biggest threats to sign Trea Turner away from the Los Angeles Dodgers and so are these other three clubs.
There aren’t too many players out there like Trea Turner. Fast on his feet, a barrel full of power, and capable of giving you a .300 performance while causing chaos on the bases as an added bonus, it comes as no surprise to see the Chicago Cubs are a team already linked to the Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop.
The big market Cubs may not have done much this season but are reportedly already a landing spot for Turner as FanSided’s Rylie Smith has covered.
They won’t be able to snag the free agent shortstop without a fight. These three other teams will be a threat to take him away from the Dodgers this offseason.
1) The Cubs want to sign Trea Turner and so do the Phillies
Nobody could use the boost Turner gives more than the Cubs. Well, maybe the Philadelphia Phillies, too.
Philadelphia has a potent offense but lacks a true leadoff hitter. For most of 2022, they’ve used Kyle Schwarber in this spot. At shortstop, they’ve turned to rookie Bryson Stott to help them get through the end of the season after designating Didi Gregorius for assignment before his release
Turner signing with the Phillies would reunite him with former Washington Nationals teammate Bryce Harper. The two didn’t play together long but shared the spotlight for a little while during Harper’s final days in D.C. and the start of Turner’s best seasons. Back in June, they were already reportedly an early favorite to sign him.
The Dodgers will have a tough time competing with all of the big market clubs. As much as they are often willing to go that extra mile to afford players, there is a limit. They let Corey Seager walk last offseason and with no control over what happens with Turner, he could be headed back to the National League East this winter.
The Phillies are going to end up with one of the big name shortstops this offseason. Turner brings a different element to their lineup. He’s someone they need to pursue.