There are 'rumblings' that All-Star SS Trea Turner wants to join Phillies?
All-Star shortstop Trea Turner is one of the top free agents available this offseason and is likely at the top of several teams' wish lists as the market opens.
According to Jayson Stark of The Athletic, Turner may have his eyes on joining the defending National League champions. On Wednesday, appearing on 97.5 The Fanatic, Stark said there are "rumblings" that Turner wants to join the Philadelphia Phillies.
Rumors of a possible match between Turner and Philly aren't new, partly due to the 29-year-old's relationship with NLCS MVP Bryce Harper. During the summer, Harper called Turner one of the "most underrated" players in MLB, adding that he was "excited to see where he goes next year," per Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
While the Phillies have shown a willingness to spend after signing the likes of Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos to lucrative free-agent deals last offseason, there's bound to be plenty of competition for Turner.
According to Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman of MLB Network, the Phillies, Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals may be in the mix for Turner, along with dark-horse teams like the Chicago Cubs, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox.
Heyman confirmed that Turner prefers to play on the East Coast, which could boost the Phillies' chances.
Regarding a return to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Turner doesn't appear to be a top offseason priority for the team. Dodgers general manager Andrew Friedman said on MLB Network (h/t Dodger Blue 1958's Matthew Moreno) Turner had put himself in a great position and "he's going to go out and figure out what makes the most sense for his family."
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