Trea Turner: Can The Dodgers Replace the Shortstop’s Production in the Lineup?
It can’t be understated what Trea Turner brought to the Dodgers all season long. Turner ranked in the top of every major category among shortstops and played the second most games of his career.
Turner could’ve played more if Dave Roberts didn’t elect to rest him for later parts of the season, but Turner earning his second All-Star appearance came as no surprise. Now Turner is set to hit the free agent market and it is speculated Turner will make bank-breaking money.
The Dodgers are going to want to do whatever they can to bring Turner back, but in the case of Turner leaving will the Dodgers be able to replace such a talent? From face value, in a career year from Turner, it’s hard to imagine getting someone to replicate the performance, but it’s also hard to imagine Turner himself exceeding his 2022 season.
Trea Turner is about to get a billion dollar contract after this video narrated by Jon Hamm that got sent around to teams today
(h/t @JeffPassan) pic.twitter.com/JQjEGbnqbn
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) November 7, 2022
The Dodgers also were firing on all cylinders leading to the franchise record in wins, so it also begs the question can someone also be a part of such good timing as Turner was with the Dodgers?
The contribution of the entire team was one of the best in the entire league and Andrew Friedman saw the luxury of having the team clicking so well (via Bill Plunkett, The OC Register).
“Last year, in a lot of ways was a luxury – would we like to continue a luxury? Of course. That was an extra level above where it (the team’s offense) had been,” Friedman said. “We’ve had a lot of really good offenses over the last five to seven years and they’ve looked a little bit different at different points in time.”
Replacing Turner is going to be hard enough, but this reaches the notion that the entire team as a whole may be hard to replicate with Turner’s departure. The ultimate goal is to win a championship but last season’s team was right at the edge of being legit contenders.
Replacing Turner is just one of the hurdles the team will have to face.
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Sure if they deal with Boras and Correa. It will cost just as much. And Correa will hear boos at home for a month at least if things go well, all year if they don’t.
If he wants to go to the East Coast there’s nothing we can really do about that. It stings a lot because players of his caliber are a rarity in today’s game. Hits for avg, steals bags, and a good defender. The problem with replacing him is no one wants Correa. Both Correa and Boegarts are Bor_s’s agents which means it’s a rental. I think the I’d take a swing at Dansby and if it doesn’t work it’s time to start bringing up youngsters, and we have plenty of them, and unless of course there is someone out there coming up that fits the bill at that position that could come in the form of a trade, however baseball teams are going to hang on to that caliber of player coming up through there system. Risky business to trade for a prospect. Obviously the Dominican is where a lot athletes like that come out of. I would take a swing at Amaya. If nothing else. There are other positions we could nab some Free agents from. We’ve had some bad luck with injuries to starting pitching the last 2 years, but there’s never enough depth, and the same goes with BP. It also gives us more tradable pitching options down the road. Also there could be guys in the 2024 free agent market that could be available at the trade deadline.
Trae Turner: .298, .466, .809 4.9 WAR over 160 games and 652 at-bats
Gavin Lux; .276, .399, .745 2.5 WAR over 129 games and 421 at-bats
Question is, can Lux improve his numbers over the 31 game difference?
If Friedman signs a position player (or trades for one) with similar numbers as Trae, are the Dodgers just as good?
I definitely agree 100%!
If Trea leaves he’ll be terribly missed. Dodgers need more 5-tool players like him. It was a luxury and fun to watch him play for the Dodgers!
Anyone want a direct answer as to whether Dodgers can replace Turner’s production in the lineup from 2022? NO!!!! Especially if they go with either Lux or Amaya. In those 2 internal options, expectations must be lowered and hopefully offense can be stepped up at another position on the field, say LF and CF…
The only way to replace what T Turner last season, is TT. He is between Correa and Boegarts defensively, but his War speaks for itself. Swanson had a career year in his contract year, always a Red Flag. So all things being equal, resigning Turner is our best option if we are signing a Shortstop.
Given our record with Boras clients, just say no. So it would be TT or Swanson. I’m not convinced they go that route, especially if they let Bellinger walk.
If that happens, just the money alone saved from Bellinger 19.6mm arbitration and Price’s 16mm will come close to pay Judge. Resigning Kershaw was a given, II think we resign Turner at 1 for 7mm plus his 2mm buyout. That leaves us at about 100mm to reach last year’s payroll.
What I believe is that if the Dodgers don’t strike quickly on the big names. They will be saving payroll room for next off season for Ohtani.
From what it sounds like from interviews with Freidman, replacing Turner’s production at a key position like SS is not a priority.
I think Friedman is shooting smoke screens. He has to know a quality SS can help tremendously on a championship level team to win games. Just look at the performance of guys like J. Peña, Seager in 2020, Swanson, Bogaerts, and T. Turner. The SS position cannot be overlooked, where the outfielders can get by with the youngsters who are athletic and able to hit.
Turner according to reports is 90% gone. Lux played SS in High school and the Minors. Amaya is an outstanding defensive infielder. Vargas scouts say will be a high contact hitter. Busch has done all he can do in the Minors. I see Vargas, Busch, Rios and Outman either on the roster or traded.
Just need a 100 runs scored and a 100 RBI’s 27 or so steals throw in 190+ hits. Left and center won’t get that combined.
Rios should be traded if part of a package that can get Dodgers a reasonable return. Like Gallo he strikes out way way too much. Sure he can hit with power but striking out in almost every other AB is not acceptable.
Does it really matter? We had Turner for two years and no championship so we may as well go young and cheaper at shortstop and get our pitching in order
And then watch the other teams that make the playoffs?
We lost because we were not hot at the plate and we lost because we have had bad luck with injuries to our starting pitching, we also lost because BP needs to be air-tight. A championship in baseball is a marathon not a sprit. The postseason is completely different than the regular season. The planets have to align to win. Doesn’t matter what you do during the regular season it matters how you enter the playoffs. 5 days off doesn’t boad well either!! It has nothing to with one singular player.
The fans have a big problem, they think they know it all and have all the answers. I think as fans we need to leave the decision making up to the heads in the front office. Friedman knows what he’s doing, so let him do it. We may not have a World Series title going for us every year, but he has brought us great baseball over the years. One more thing, all this hullabaloo over acquiring Correa, Who cares what happened years ago in Houston, that ship sailed, so got over it.
Friedman undercover right here.
I agree with you about Friedman, but no one is forgetting 2017, and no one wants Correa it’s a simple as that!! And I’m ok if we don’t contend for another year.
Sorry you feel so indifferent. Dodger fans are passionate of their baseball team, and just having fun in voicing their opinions and inter reacting with other fans. LA sports fans want championships and not settle for mediocrity. Some have major interests like expensive season ticket packages or long time loyalty interests to pass on. That is why when you are cheated on, and the perpetrators not prosecuted, and you lost something you so cherished you feel the hurt.
Yes, Friedman probably is not listening to us, but if the fan base strongly voice their opinions, the FO just might consider working something out. After all the fans are paying at the gate and supplying some of that revenue. This article is about the lost of Trea’s production at SS. If he leaves that would be a huge hole to fill on offense, defense, and his leadership…..not to mention the chemistry of the Big Three will be disrupted.
I would not attend any Dodger games as long as long as Correa was on the team. No way, Jose.
I think TT is essential for Dodgers, but there are other options
Pls no Corrrea.Dodgers must start utilising their minor league
potensials.