Reports: Dodgers Re-Sign Justin Turner to Four-Year, $64 Million Deal
JT BACK.
The Dodgers are finalizing a deal to bring Justin Turner back to Los Angeles, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports and Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports. Turner's new contract is worth 4 years and $64 million, per Rosenthal:
Source: Turner contract with #Dodgers, when completed, will indeed be four years, $64M. @Joelsherman1 referred to those numbers earlier.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) December 12, 2016
Turner had been linked to the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals in various rumors after he hit free agency at the end of the 2016 season. However, the prevailing story was that he wanted to stay in Dodger blue more than anything - and the team wanted him back just as much. Turner was a replacement-level infielder when he first signed with the Dodgers, but over his past three years with his hometown team, he blossomed into one of the best third basemen in baseball. As the Dodgers' primary starter at the hot corner in 2016 (his first full season in a regular role), Turner was the fifth most valuable hitter in the National League and second most on the Dodgers behind Corey Seager.
Turner's new contract means that he'll re-join Kenley Jansen and Rich Hill as members of the Dodgers for at least the near future. The Dodgers have now retained their entire trio of impact free agents, which seemed extremely unlikely heading into the offseason.
