DH Justin Turner, Blue Jays reportedly agree to 1-year deal
Justin Turner has reportedly found a new team to play for, and it'll keep him in the American League East.
On Tuesday, MLB Network reported that the designated hitter had agreed to a 1-year, $13 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays. The 39-year-old reportedly has the ability to tack on an additional $1.5 million in bonuses.
Source: Justin Turner's 1-year deal with Toronto has a $13 million base salary with $1.5 million in roster and performance bonuses. @MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 30, 2024
The Blue Jays are adding Turner to the fold after he knocked in a career-high 96 RBI and batted .276 with 23 home runs as a member of the Boston Red Sox in 2023. He opted out of his contract with the Red Sox on Nov. 3.
Turner arrived in Boston after spending nearly a decade with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He won the 2020 World Series and the 2017 NLCS MVP and was a two-time All-Star (2017 and 2021) during his nine seasons with the Dodgers.
Before moving to designated hitter, Turner primarily played in the infield, and there's some belief that he'll periodically spell the Blue Jays' Gold Glove first baseman, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Toronto finished third in the AL East with a 89-73 record last season. The team managed to score only one run in its two-game, wild-card series sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins.