Cubs sign two-time All-Star Justin Turner |
Dustin Riese
-
- Tuesday, February 18 2025
In the wake of Alex Bregman signing with the Boston Red Sox, many fans wondered what would come next for the Chicago Cubs. After all, this team is going with a rookie third baseman, Matt Shaw, and Michael Busch at first, as both combined have less than two years of MLB experience.
To make matters worse, should either one or both go down with an injury, the Cubs had no backup plan behind them, which was a concern heading into the regular season. Well, that is no longer a concern, as the Cubs have found their fallback plan for Bregman and are signing Justin Turner. Anytime you bring in a player approaching 41 years of age, there will be question marks, but for one year and six million dollars, it's a deal you can live with as the two-time all-star is officially heading to the Northside and will bring a long track record of success and winning to an organization that is looking to get back on track. With signing a 40-year-old utility man, there will be plenty of questions surrounding it, and Turner does come with some questions despite his long track record of success. The biggest question concerns Turner's age and whether or not Father Time has caught up to him or will catch him this season. Turner has always been known as a high-average, high-contact player who is often among the toughest to strike out. That approach has led to consistent offensive success, as he was among the key leaders of many Los Angeles Dodgers teams. Over the past two seasons, Turner's production has started to decline, but that is to be expected for a player entering his 40th season. Despite the decline in output, Turner still posted solid numbers last season. He hit .259 across 138 games, and that average included 11 homers and 59 RBIs. Turner continued to show he could produce when called upon. If the Cubs can get anywhere close to that production from him this season, they would consider it a win, as he will most likely be a platoon player set to backup Shaw and Busch. While the power numbers and average may be coming down, Turner still does a great job of making contact, as he struck out just over 17% of the time while walking just under 11% of the time. Throw in his final 206 plate appearances, where he slashed .306/.394/.454 (148 wRC+), and Turner proved that he still has plenty to offer an organization despite his age. Whether or not his consistent production will start to decline this season remains to be seen, but this is an upgrade for a roster that desperately needed another depth piece. Per Jon Morosi, The Cubs were the place Justin Turner wanted to be, "turning down more lucrative offers" in order to come to Chicago. The Chicago Cubs are close to an agreement with Justin Turner, a source briefed on the negotiations told The Athletic. Turner, 40, is a highly accomplished hitter who wants to play in Chicago and will bring extensive playoff experience to the club. The Chicago Cubs, who have said all winter they wanted more infield depth and a safety net for 3B Matt Shaw, land veteran IF Justin Turner as @PJ_Mooney reported Sources confirm Justin Tucker is in agreement with the Cubs on a one-year, $6M contract, as @PJ_Mooney first reported. Deal is pending a physical, which he’s expected to undergo tomorrow.
Love the energy already 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u1EsFASGT8
