LA Dodgers: Ross Stripling trolls fans over Justin Turner free agency

LA Dodgers fans need Toronto insider Ross Stripling to fill them in about Justin Turner’s potential conversations with the Blue Jays.

The Los Angeles Dodgers will be aiming high this offseason in filling their infield “vacancy,” either bringing Justin Turner back into the fold to continue his dominant tenure, or ushering in the Gavin Lux era.

So, do we have any discernible updates on Turner’s chase since Andrew Friedman opened the offseason with a bang? Any parting words? Any shadowy rumors of talks?

Luckily (?), Ken Rosenthal arrived just on time late Monday, announcing that the luxury-shopping Toronto Blue Jays had been in “recent contact” with Turner. For a team with a promising young core, that’d be a pretty spectacular short-term addition.

So, should Dodgers fans be worried? Well, not yet.

Leave it to ex-Dodgers hurler Ross Stripling to check in at the exact right time with a pretty good clarifying question.

Stripling can’t guarantee his front office isn’t working the phones hard to lure Turner to Canadian soil, but he does know of one Blue Jay who’s been “in recent contact” with the veteran — and he’s tall and rocks No. 68.

Can someone ask Rosenthal? Is that what he meant?

Yes, happy birthday to Justin Turner (and Gavin Lux), who were probably both fielding phone calls from all sorts of area codes on their shared special day.

For what it’s worth, the Blue Jays certainly are not bargain hunting, and will probably be reasonably in the mix for almost every major free agent in this cycle. It’s worth taking them seriously; after all, they won the Hyun-Jin Ryu sweepstakes.

It’s possible the Jays play this season on American soil, too, which might be another significant selling point. Maybe they join the Toronto Raptors in Tampa? Yeah, sports are still pretty broken.

We won’t make any snap judgments of this Turner rumor until we hear an update from Chicken Strip. Maybe try a Thanksgiving text?

Should Dodgers re-sign Justin Turner or trade for Nolan Arenado?

Should the Los Angeles Dodgers trade for Nolan Arenado with the Colorado Rockies or simply re-sign Justin Turner at a less prohibitive cost?