Editorials

Dodgers: Should LA Look to Extend Trea Turner? How Does Corey Seager Play into the Equation?

Trea Turner hasn’t been a Dodger long, but he’s already made his presence felt. The shortstop turned second baseman is a legitimate NL MVP candidate thanks to his unique blend of speed, power, and batting average. By most accounts, 2021 has been career year for Trea Turner.

Turner isn’t a free agent until after the 2022 season. However, LA should give him the Mookie Betts treatment – extend him so he never hits the open market.



This season, Turner ranks second in batting average, third in stolen bases, and has 25 home runs. Through Saturday, he is one of only seven position players to have more than 6.0 WAR. His name is right up there with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., Juan Soto, and Jose Ramirez. Meaning, Turner is not just another good player, he’s one of the few great players in MLB.

Trea Turner’s Dodger future pivots on Corey Seager’s impending free agency this winter. If Seager decides to re-sign with LA, would Trea agree to continue to play second base? If Seager doesn’t re-sign, do the Dodgers go all in on Turner?

Seager is not the only variable either. Clayton Kershaw and Chris Taylor will also be free agents. Julio Urias (2024) and Walker Buehler (2025) are a few years out, but they both figure to fetch substantial contracts.

All that being said, Andrew Friedman surely thought through how trading, and keeping, Turner affects the roster and payroll moving forward. A man that calculated doesn’t make that trade without having a plan for the future.

They don’t need to extend Turner tomorrow or even his winter. They do need to hold onto one of the best players in baseball. Extending him, rather than letting him hit free agency, is the best way to accomplish that goal.

NEXT: Will Dodgers Re-Sign Albert Pujols? Why He Could Go Back to Cardinals & Proof He was a Great Signing

Eric Eulau

Born and raised in Ventura, not "Ven-CH-ura", California. Favorite Dodger Stadium food is the old school chocolate malt with the wooden spoon. Host of the Dodgers Nation 3 Up, 3 Down Podcast.

21 Comments

  1. Trading for Scherzer and Turner at the deadline was clearly aimed at what would happen if the Dodgers couldn’t resign Kershaw and Seager. I have always thought that Kershaw was going to Texas, but now I am not so sure. I do remain convinced that some team will offer Seager more than than the Dodgers will. The injury history is just too deep for a $250-$300 million long term contract, although as we saw in the playoffs he is one of the rare guys who can take over an entire game/series. If he goes,Turner is an almost perfect replacement with similar production and he stays on the field. At this point, I think both Turner and Scherzer need to be resigned.

    1. Agreed 1 trillion percent. Scherzer and Trea will resign, while Seager and Kersh will sign elsewhere.

      1. As this page states, Freidman doesn’t trade the 2 top prospects for Scherzer and Tre Turner without some future plans to retain both players. Seager’s agent is Scott Boras so chances are Cory signs elsewhere, notably if he wants to be playing closer to home.

    2. Blah blah blah Blah blah blah

      “Turner and Scherzer need to be resigned.”

      THIS ^

  2. I totally agree, the Dodgers need to lock up Trea Turner and need to do it fast! I love Seager and would love to keep him, but let’s keep it real: Boras is playing great and Scott Boras is his agent and we all knows how he gets down. Boras is going to get for Seager (and deservedly so) a $300 million (and maybe more) dollar contract and if the Dodgers want to have ANY chance of keeping Scherzer, they simply can’t do it. Technically, the have the money to keep them both, but they’d be so far into the luxury tax that it wouldn’t be financially responsible.Turner is younger, won’t cost as much and (as great as Seager is), has dimensions to his game that Seager doesn’t: he hits for a higher average and is a bona fide base stealer. So I say lock up Turner b4 he gets to free agency, use that extra cash to keep Scherzer, and let’s go from there

  3. Lock them both up this offseason on 5 year identical deals. Big mistake if you don’t, these 2 don’t come around very often. Ditch Bellinger, Jansen, and Kershaw this offseason (if he doesn’t humble himself and take a reasonable deal). See if someone will take David Price’s 16million for next year if you throw in draft picks and prospects.

  4. Let’s not forget, Bauer will be back next year too. Imagine having a rotation of Scherzer, Bauer, Buehler, Urias, and Gonsolin.

  5. I don’t trust that Seager will stay healthy . Sign Trea Turner and Sherzer . Keep Taylor . I am afraid Cody will never be what he was . The others will be lost . You cannot pay everyone $30 million a year .

    1. I can’t imagine that Dodgers will retain both Seager and T. Turner. But what CANNOT happen is for Dodgers to begin the 2023 season without either of them. That’s why holding on to Lux is very important now.

    2. I think people are making the mistake that you can just throw money and these guys want to be Dodgers…..big difference in the east and west…home is home…parents…wife parents…family….remember both guys Seager…Turner are low key guys….wives have a big say in where they go

  6. Private conversations between Friedman and Boras happened long ago, and continue to this day. Dodgers know what Seager wants, and if they are going to keep him or not. It’s already a done deal whichever way it goes.

    Definitely sign T Turner, Sherzer, and Kershaw. Keep an open line with Taylor. And hope like he!! that you can get completely out of the Bauer contract!

    As for Bellinger, he’s not even 10 months out from major shoulder surgery. He is not recovered. That is why he’s swing weird; trying to find something that isn’t painful. Shoulders take more time than any other part of the body to heal. He’s under team control for a couple more years, so lets see where that goes. Some of you might be very surprised.

  7. It depends on what happens with Seager in the free-agent market this winter. Dodgers have Trea Turner under contract in 2022 so he’ll be back regardless and will certainly garner a long term offer if Seager leaves.

    Regarding Scherzer I am certain Dodgers will make a competitive offer but it mostly depends on him, he is in 100% control of decision.

    I think Kershaw will want a new 2-year deal, not sure if Dodgers would be willing to go beyond one-year.

  8. Looks like dodgers nation writers all feel the same as we do about NEXT year. With all of the sudden articles inquiring the fait of NEXT years team. The writers here probably figure that there’s a high probability that we get bounced in the wild card game so they’re getting as many bites in before this place becomes a ghost town. I have some ideas though if the writers here want to keep the articles hopping. Just start talking about DAVE Roberts future contract instead of all the players. Instead of making 4 out of 10 articles about what DRRRRRRRRRRR’s feels, how about a few reality articles about who the NEXT manager of the Dodgers should be..

  9. I wouldn’t bank on Bauer being back. He’s a PR nightmare, and it’s pretty clear that he’s not popular with his teammates.
    AF might try to trade him and even help pay his salary. Some team will give him that “fresh start,” but I think the Dodgers organization wants to move on.

  10. I just wonder what the Turner & Scherzer families feel about SoCal…I know Trea made some comments about the weather and his wife liking the whole package…I liked Mad Max’s comments about the Dodgers “not knowing how to be a 2nd place team”…Ya gotta think they both know the Dodgers will do what it takes to remain relevant and they both want to win!!!!

  11. LA should extend the contract on TTurner now. That puts pressure on Seager to either sign a reasonable contract or go elsewhere. He is not worth what Boras is probably asking for. I do not expect Bauer to ever play for LA. At this point in their careers, Scherzer may be a better bet than Kershaw, who has had injuries and spotty post-season success. It would be a very difficult decision, because Kershaw has been and should be a Dodger for life. Sign Taylor, although the emergence of Lux complicates that. Lux can play most of the positions Taylor does. He could be the next super platoon player. Still, I do not want to see Taylor sign for any other team.

  12. I don’t buy for second that the players don’t want Bauer back.
    That is just a narrative a that a writer, who hates bauer, wants to sell.

    The ONLY reason to get rid of Bauer is he is way over paid for what he brings to the table.

    What Dodgers need to do is try to sigh every player who has a high batting average or is capable of hitting for an average.. That means signing seager, going after castellanos, extending TTurner.

    The biggest problem the dodgers have had over that last several years, is not having players who can hit for average, but counting on people who strike out a lot but occasionally hit a homerun. They need players who have demonstrated they can hit in the clutch.

    That is why the giants are so dangerous. They have players who can come up with a hit when they are needed and not necessarily a home run.

    They also made a big mistake signing betts, when should have signed harper to that big long contract, and they still would have had verdugo and others.

    Also giving away yordan alverez for old minor league pitcher did not help either ( another player who can hit for an average). They also let Rangelo go to japan, a player hitting well over 400 at AAA. and hold to people who can’t hit like souza and mckinney. And they almost gave away Andy Pages for virtually nothing.

    Do the Dodgers have something against players who can hit?

    Doing everything to keep Seager is extremely important.

  13. Can not believe Seager was not signed last year….people talk about injuries…Trout has not finished the last 3 seasons…Tatis stays hurt…along with Judge…Seager missed time hit by a pitch…beyond that since hip surgery 2 years ago…all good….now the Dodgers may lose both…Turner is rumored to want to be in the east…and the Yankees have every intention of not losing Seager in free agency….I don’t think Kershaw will return…so the Dodgers need to try first to sign Seager…he will demand $300 plus mil

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