Mariners veteran infielder plans to continue playing in 2025

Mariners infielder Justin Turner’s fortieth birthday is simply across the nook this November, however that’s not stopping the veteran from planning to maintain going subsequent yr. The pending free agent instructed reporters, together with MLB.com’s Daniel Kramer, after Seattle’s win over the A’s on Saturday that he desires to proceed his enjoying profession in 2025:

“100%. I nonetheless really feel good, nonetheless really feel like I’ve rather a lot to contribute,” Turner mentioned, as relayed by Kramer. “And I completely love spending time round these guys and the conversations and questions and serving to guys.”

At the same time as he enters his 40s, it’s not essentially a shock that Turner would plan to proceed enjoying. In spite of everything, the veteran stays fairly productive on the sphere. In 138 video games cut up between Toronto and Seattle this yr, the veteran has slashed .258/.353/.380 with a wRC+ of 115. Whereas Turner’s 11 house runs and .122 remoted slugging share are each the bottom he’s posted in a full season since turning into a daily with the Dodgers again in 2015, his total manufacturing stays precisely in step with what he produced for the Purple Sox final yr and never far off from the 123 wRC+ he posted in his closing yr as a Dodger.

Turner has largely been restricted to first base and DH since departing Los Angeles, with simply six complete appearances on the sizzling nook this yr after logging 17 appearances between second and third base with the Purple Sox final yr. That dwindling versatility will certainly prohibit his market this winter, however there ought to nonetheless be loads of suitors for Turner even in a strictly 1B/DH function. In spite of everything, simply 9 groups obtained a 115 wRC+ or larger out of first base this yr, whereas 11 golf equipment matched or exceeded that determine at DH. Solely the Blue Jays, Dodgers, Braves, Phillies, and Diamondbacks obtained higher numbers than Turner offered out of each positions this yr, and Arizona figures to lose each Christian Walker and Joc Pederson to free company this winter.

After all, it’s unlikely that Turner would actually garner curiosity from each membership he could be an on-paper improve for, however it’s nonetheless simple to think about him as a match for a variety of groups. The Astros may gain advantage from a right-handed complement to Jon Singleton at first base and somebody able to plugging in at DH on days the place Yordan Alvarez performs the outfield, for one instance. In the meantime, the Royals, Nationals, Tigers and Pirates are all younger up-and-coming groups who not solely obtained beneath common manufacturing from both first base or DH this yr however may additionally profit from including a well-respected veteran like Turner as a mentor determine for younger hitters.

Turner has additionally signed one-year offers in every of the previous two offseasons, which may make him a very enticing candidate for a workforce just like the Tigers that has a attainable common in Spencer Torkelson however could not wish to depend on the 25-year-old lastly taking a long-anticipated step ahead after making the playoffs for the primary time since 2014 this yr. That flexibility may additionally profit a workforce just like the Yankees that has a possible inheritor to first base in Ben Rice at Triple-A however is unlikely to totally decide to a teenager with simply 49 huge league video games underneath his belt.

A return to Seattle can also’t be dominated out. As Kramer famous final night time, president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto indicated to reporters Saturday that the membership’s payroll is more likely to enhance this winter. Whereas Dipoto cautioned that a lot of that enhance figures to be accounted for with the growing arbitration prices of a big class of key gamers like Randy Arozarena, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert and Cal Raleigh, it’s not exhausting to think about the membership having the ability to match a one-year deal for Turner into their funds in the event that they determine they’d want to make use of him within the first base/DH combine alongside Luke Raley relatively than depend on teenager Tyler Locklear.