Former Red Sox slugger Justin Turner signs with AL East rival (report)
The Red Sox will be without one of their most productive hitters next season. Free agent Justin Turner has agreed to sign a one-year, $13 million deal with the Blue Jays, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported on Tuesday.
Turner’s deal will also include $1.5 million in roster and performance bonuses, Morosi added in his report.
Turner became a free agent after he declined his $13.4 million 2024 player option. He received a $6.7 million buyout from the club in November.
The two-time All-Star enjoyed a strong season for the Red Sox, batting .276, .345 on-base percentage, .455 slugging percentage, .800 OPS, 23 homers, 31 doubles and 96 RBIs in 146 games.
Turner started 98 games at DH last season, 35 games at first base, seven at third base and four games at second base.
Following the season, Turner expressed his desire to return to the Red Sox in 2024.
“I love playing in Boston and I’ve had a great experience here so obviously, it would be fantastic if I was still here,” Turner said back in September.
Turner was hopeful he would return to the club, but the team had other plans, including decreasing payroll for the upcoming season.
“Once [Craig] Breslow and the rest of the front office figure out what they want to do or what direction they want to go, hopefully I’m a part of that and I’m back in a Red Sox jersey,” Turner said in November. “But there’s always that unknown when a new front office comes in.
“From what I’ve heard from all these guys, Pedro [Martinez] included, is how amazing this town is when you’re making a playoff run, and we got a small taste of it with the Bruins and with the Celtics last year. But I want to be a part of that.”
The Red Sox are likely to rotate several players through the DH position this season, including outfielder Masataka Yoshida.
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