September 11, 2021; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) throws to first for the out against San Diego Padres left fielder Tommy Pham (28) during the second inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The Arizona Diamondbacks are looking for a right-handed veteran bat and are among teams expressing interest in free-agent infielder Justin Turner, according to major-league sources.
Turner, 38, is drawing interest from teams as both a first and third baseman. Even as Turner enters his 15th season, he remains an impact player.
He hit .278/.350/.438 with 13 home runs, 81 RBI and an .788 OPS in 128 games last season. Turner became a free agent after the Dodgers declined his $16 million club option and while a return to Los Angeles hasn’t been ruled out, it’s possible that another team is in better position to offer a more lucrative contract.
Will Justin Turner leave the Dodgers?
It would mark the end of Turner’s nine-year stint in Los Angeles, where he became a pillar on the field and a leader inside the Dodgers’ locker room. He hit .296/.375/.490 with 156 home runs and 574 RBI in those nine seasons, hitting 27 home runs three times.
The Diamondbacks, meanwhile, have been in conversations on the free agent and trade markets. They signed reliever Miguel Castro to a one-year contract and remain on the lookout for another reliever. They have had conversations with free-agent infielder Evan Longoria, as first reported by radio host John Gambadoro. They have also had numerous conversations with teams about their outfield surplus, sources said, with Alek Thomas, Daulton Varsho and Jake McCarthy headlining their deep outfield.
No deal for Turner or Longoria is believed to be close. But the Diamondbacks should not be ruled out on either player, as adding a veteran bat appears to be a priority.