Red Sox have ‘expressed varying levels of interest’ in former veteran infielder/DH
With spring training set to begin around the game of baseball, veteran Justin Turner is still one of the many free agents available on the market.
The Red Sox have reportedly considered Turner as a right-handed hitting option for their lineup heading into the 2025 season.
“The Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers have also expressed varying levels of interest in both Turner and (Alex) Bregman,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney reported.
The Cubs have also shown interest in Turner, mainly in the event that Bregman opts to sign elsewhere than in Chicago.
It’s not truly clear how interested the Red Sox are in Turner. Boston currently has Triston Casas at first base, Rafael Devers at third base, and Masataka Yoshida at designated hitter, making the fit for Turner puzzling, considering he would be a DH-first option for the Red Sox.
The 40-year-old was a fan favorite during his one season with the Red Sox back in 2023. The right-handed hitter batted .276 with 23 homers while driving in 96 runs. The gritty veteran played 146 games while also dealing with a heel injury.
Turner became a free agent following 2023 after he declined his $13.4 million player option. Instead, Boston was required to pay out a $6.7 million buyout, making him a free agent.
It’s been widely reported that the Red Sox have been linked to Bregman, who has yet to find a new home ahead of the start of camps.
Turner slashed .259/.354/.383 across 539 plate appearances, splitting time with the Blue Jays and Mariners. At this point in Turner’s career, he would serve as a solid pinch-hitting bat off the bench, while sprinkling him in sporadically into the starting lineup.
Following the 2023 season, Turner expressed interest in returning to the Red Sox. He was appreciative of his lone season in Boston and getting the opportunity to play at Fenway Park.
“Yeah, I mean, I’ve enjoyed every minute of it,” Turner said following the Red Sox’ last 2023 home game. “Since day one, it’s been first class from all the way from the top, all the way down, and I’ve enjoyed the guys in this room, and there’s a lot of really good baseball players in this room. And so I would definitely be happy if I was back here again.”
Adding Turner into the mix for the Red Sox makes little sense, considering he doesn’t offer positional versatility. He would be a cheaper option than trading for Cardinals third baseman Nolan Arenado or signing Bregman.
