3 teams that could lure Justin Turner away from Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers may look a lot different in 2023 than they did in 2022. Breakout pitcher Tyler Anderson has already left for the Los Angeles Angels, while the team also non-tendered Cody Bellinger and declined Justin Turner’s player option.

With an MVP reward not that far in the rear-view mirror, Bellinger is perhaps the most high-profile non-tendered player in recent MLB history. It’s not hard to come up with a list of teams that would be interested in taking a flier on the 2019 NL MVP.

Turner might not be Bellinger, but there will still be a market. The longtime Dodgers third baseman will be 38 for the 2023 season and did not produce at as high of a level in 2022 as in previous seasons. However, he still was an above-average bat and there’s always a list of teams ready to overpay someone on their namesake alone.

So while Andrew Friedman might have a plan of bringing back Turner for cheaper, Dodgers fans may have to accept the reality that Turner will wear a different jersey in 2023. If that’s the case, here’s a list of teams that make the most sense.

3 teams that could lure Justin Turner away from the Dodgers

3. New York Mets

The New York Mets have certainly kicked themselves over the fact that they let Turner walk years back only for him to become one of the best players in Dodgers history. While the Mets obviously missed Turner’s prime, they could right some of that wrong by bringing him back to the Big Apple in 2023.

Turner himself doesn’t hate the idea of returning to the Mets and if Steve Cohen is going to offer him more than his market value, he would be foolish not to accept. He would get to play for a contending team while also maximize his income for 2023.

New York is certainly lacking a veteran right-handed bat that can offset some of the lefties in the order. Turner can start at DH against southpaws with Daniel Vogelbach on the bench and can play third, moving Eduardo Escobar to second against righties.

The fit certainly is there, and while the Mets did Turner dirty in the past, money does seem to solve everything.

2. Texas Rangers

If there’s one team that has so desperately tried to mine the Dodgers for their resources, it’s the Texas Rangers. It goes far beyond signing superstar shortstop Corey Seager and always being in the mix for Clayton Kershaw, though. The examples of former Dodgers that have played for the Rangers is actually insane.

Seager, Charlie Culberson, DJ Peters, Zach Reks, Willie Calhoun, Brad Miller, Dennis Santana, Josh Sborz, Jharel Cotton, and Brett de Geus are all players who have played on the Dodgers or came from the Dodgers farm system and played for the Rangers over the last two seasons.

Not only that, but the Rangers hired former Dodgers third base coach Chris Woodward as their manager (he was fired in 2022) and currently have former Dodgers assistant hitting coach Tim Hyers as their hitting coach.

All this is to say that the Rangers really do love poaching the Dodgers, and Turner could be the latest example of that. There’s room for Turner in the lineup as the designated hitter with Adolis Garcia starting in the outfield.

Turner would reunite with Hyers and Seager and would get to play in a location that charges no state income tax. With how much the Rangers love poaching Dodgers, he will likely could get a great offer from Texas as the icing on the cake.