Dodgers bring Justin Turner back on two-year deal

Third baseman Justin Turner is returning to the Dodgers on a two-year deal. Turner himself broke the news Saturday night, while MLB Network’s Jon Heyman reported the term and also tweets that the deal is expected to be for an amount in the range of $34 million.

While Turner may no longer be the Dodgers’ most valuable position player — that’s more likely Mookie Betts or Corey Seager — he’s been the most consistent presence in their lineup during their dominant run through the 2010s and 2020. He’s 36 years old now, but he was still very good when he was on the field last season — he missed a couple weeks weeks with a hamstring strain — as he posted a .307/.400/.460 slash line with four homers in 175 plate appearances.

His embarrassing World Series celebration incident aside, Turner was also very good during the Dodgers’ run to a World Series championship, posting an .804 playoff OPS, including a stellar .320/.346/.720 slash line with two homers during the World Series.

While Edwin Rios will likely take some starts from Turner in 2021, the fact that they’re giving him a multi-year deal with a hefty salary signifies that they’re still expecting him to play a significant role. With the Dodgers having signed Mookie Betts to a long-term extension last spring and Trevor Bauer to a lucrative deal this offseason, it should be interesting to see whether the Turner signing further complicates their ability to re-sign Corey Seager and Clayton Kershaw this offseason.