Tonight Justin Turner ends one of the few remaining big free dances and announces that he is returning to the Dodgers, as most expected him to eventually do.
Lettts gooo run it back @Dodgers fans !!! @vaynersports @vaynerbaseball pic.twitter.com/fRY0pvyWMx
– Justin Turner (@ redturn2) 14 February 2021
The other final suitor for Turner was apparently the Brewers, so at least he’s not going there. It remains to be seen how much Turner could wring out of the Dodgers by stretching this thing, but it’s probably two or three years tops. He can still hit, but he’s 36 and the defense is (statistically) dwindling on the third base. (UPDATE: Two years, and more than $ 30 million.)
The Dodgers are now their mighty self for their title defense. Bully for them.
The other thing it means in relation to the Cubs is hopefully – * HOPEFULLY * – that we can now get a full and final decision on the Kris Bryant trade front. There is no one else on the market who can clash with everything the Cubs and / or a trading partner do. So there is an agreement or not. At this late date, a trade can not be expected, but obviously there was everything that renewed Mets smoked this week. Please have it resolved soon somehow.
And if Bryant stays, I just hope the focus becomes the 2021 season (or at least the first half). I quite want to get on board with the idea that he’s the man, he’s going to bounce back, he’s going to be an important part of the Cubs competition, and yada yada. That good.