Dodgers Team News

Dodgers Writer Predicts LA Re-Signs Justin Turner Within the Week

It’s January 20th and Justin Turner is still not a Dodger. After a World Series win and a career of big hits and community service in LA, the thinking was that this contract wouldn’t take long to get done. And, despite his age, he remains a potent, middle-of-the-order bat. Moreover, the team has a clear need for the third baseman.

Of course, the reported hold up in a deal is the number of years Turner is seeking. The 36-year-old is said to be asking for a 4 year deal while the Dodgers prefer to offer 2 years.



Even with the divide, industry thinking still sees a JT/LA reunion sooner rather than later. In fact, Dodgers beat writer Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group is thinking much sooner.

“I’ve said all along that it just makes too much sense for JT to be back with the Dodgers,” Plunkett said on SportsNet LA. “Both sides want it. Both sides are motivated for various reasons to make it happen. So, I do think he comes back and I’ll go out on a limb and say that by the time you’re taping this show next week, Justin Turner will be back.”

Hot Stove rumors surrounding Turner have been quiet. In the early goings of the winter, reports linked the former All-Star to the Toronto Blue Jays who now have acquired two premium bats in the last 24 hours. Notably, Turner has remained involved with the Dodgers in a myriad of ways. He’s appeared on SportsNet LA programming this offseason. On Tuesday, he was at Dodger Stadium for the celebration of the life of Tommy Lasorda. And even the team store is still selling Turner number 10 jerseys at the ballpark.

Related: Dodger Stadium Holds a Celebration of Life for Tommy Lasorda

If you’re in line with Plunkett’s thinking, you may not be that far off. Andrew Friedman and the Dodgers have seemingly worked in the shadows this offseason. The Blake Treinen deal was announced by the ballclub itself, a rarity in this modern era of “firsts” on social media. The trade for reliever Corey Knebel was under the radar in terms of reporting along with the signings of Brandon Morrow and Jimmy Nelson, among others.

If there’s a gentleman’s agreement in place, there wouldn’t be any rush for the two sides to announce the deal. Still, most Dodger fans would feel a lot better to see it get done already, particularly after the San Diego Padres continue to make moves to close the gap in the NL West.

NEXT: Dodgers Analyst Worries the Mets Will Swoop in on Justin Turner

Clint Pasillas

Clint Pasillas has been writing, blogging, and podcasting about the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2008. Under Clint's leadership as the Lead Editor, Dodgers Nation has grown into one of the most read baseball sites in the world with millions of unique visitors per month. Find him online on Twitter/X or his YouTube channel!

14 Comments

  1. I believe the Dodgers will sign Turner. I also believe the DH will be in force in the NL either in 2021 or 2022. With that Turner becomes that much more viable at a longer contract.
    A DH is a win win for the Dodgers as they can play Turner sporadically at 3rd and save his legs, especially on hard surfaces, and play Rios and possibly Smith at 3rd to see how they perform.

    1. I hope the DH is here in 2021 because there’s NO REASON ON EARTH that it should not be. Again, this should have been decided a long time ago and everyone in MLB knows it and wants it. As ya say the DH is a win win for Dodgers and had it been already in place for 2021 Turner most likely would have been re-signed by now.

  2. In a Sixty game season the Dodgers beat the Padres by six games. Normalized over a 162 game season that translates to 16 games. So the Padres have a big gap to close and they know it. That is why the Pads are spending like crazy to close that 16 game gap, or maybe more since the Dodgers beat them three straight in the playoffs. But it should be easy for the Dodgers to plug some numbers into their computer and find out where they stand in a theoretical season. I don’t think that the Padres have closed that gap but I would sure like to see some news organization so some simulations so the fans could know how much the Dodgers need to do. Of course signing Turner only tends to keep the Dodgers flat with last year when they, of course, had Turner on the team. With the theory that you either are getting better or worse and never staying the same I sure would like to know what the Dodgers need to do to get better and always want more for error. On this front after they sign Turner I’d like to see another right hander, another starting pitcher. But without the simulations I’m flying blind. What do you think the spread is between the Dodgers and Padres as things stand right now,

  3. Just do it. Re-sign JT. Keep Taylor at 2B with some shots for Lux against RHP’s. That sets the everyday players. Keep your fingers crossed on Knebel to return to form, or Graterol to come into his own as a closer. The starting rotation is fine. Especially if one or two of Urias, May, and Gonsolin step up their games as regular fixtures.

    1. Totally agree with Dodger106w with 2B. Let Taylor start at 2B againsts LHP and RHP, but give him some days off and let Lux hit only RHP to build up confidence in the Big Show. Lux’s value goes up and then Friedman decides if Lux is 2B of future or better off trading.

      1. My question is who is a better DH Turner at 36 or Ozuna at 30
        Almost the same price… Bauer is good but to expensive.Trade
        for Indians Ramirez.. Seimen can play anywhere … and he may
        keep Seager’s price down as a free agent. We have lots of good
        Controlable young pitchers..

  4. I like Turner but 4 years is too much for a part time player that wants full time pay.Year in and year out he always gets hurt and misses a lot of games he lost 2 steps at third.I prefer Will Smith at DH and Turner in a David Freese type of role. But face it he’s not young anymore. I want Rios at third full time cause he will hit more than 40 hrs and we loose by playing JT at third.Time to lock Seager,Bellinger,Buhler and Urias and also extend Kershaw.

    1. DH can be used to save Smith & Turner’s legs over a season no doubt. My questions about Rios are if he is still using a glove made by US Steel? His fielding has a rep of being, well, an adventure yet improving via hard work. Any MLB caliber player should be able to learn to play at least average defense proven enough effort in the off season. Also worry about his K-rates.

      This team lives by working counts and they have lost some talent in that area this year…his K-rate was about 24% last year in a small sample before pitchers really got his number and they will, this is the bigs where the pitching catches up to kids very fast. So 150+ K’s at 3b with a player like Rios is not worth the 8-12 extra HR’s he ‘might’ hit, the kid is far from proven at this point. Plus he will be due for a sophomore slump as well. That said, he is the real deal talent wise and seems to definitely love the game and that is so important.

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