The Boston Red Sox lost two important figures in their lineup during MLB free agency. Star shortstop Xander Bogaerts landed with the San Diego Padres on a record deal while designated hitter J.D. Martinez is now wearing Dodger blue.
In a corresponding move, Boston is ready to replace Martinez with former Dodgers star Justin Turner.
Jon Heyman of the NY Post reports that Boston is making progress on a deal that would bring Turner to Fenway. Per the report, a deal is “looking close.” Meanwhile, ESPN’s Jeff Passan notes that the deal is worth $22 million over two seasons with an opt-out following the 2023 campaign.
This won’t necessarily appease a Red Sox fan base that’s upset over the loss of Bogaerts. But it will fill a void in their lineup that was created when Martinez signed with the Dodgers recently.
- Justin Turner stats (2022): .278 average, 13 HR, 81 RBI, .788 OPS
Turner, 38, saw a downtick in production from previous seasons. The two-time World Series champion posted a .832 OPS with 27 homers and 87 RBI back in 2021 en route to earning a second All-Star appearance. He can still make an impact with his bat despite pretty much being limited to a designated hitter role this past season.
Turner can play third base if the situation were to arise. But that’s nothing fans in Boston want to see with Rafael Devers manning the hot corner and rumors of a potential trade.
Instead, Turner would slot in as Boston’s primary designated hitter after Boston designated Eric Hosmer for assignment. He is the second major addition to the Red Sox’s lineup after the team signed Japanese outfielder Masataka Yoshida earlier in the fall.
The hope for Boston is that Turner will be able to pack some punch from near the top of the lineup moving forward.
Projected Boston Red Sox lineup
- Masataka Yoshida
- Justin Turner
- Rafael Devers
- Trevor Story
- Alex Verdugo
- Triston Casas
- Kiké Hernandez
- Christian Arroyo
- Reese McGuire
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