The Boston Red Sox find themselves just three and a half games from the last place giving the right to participate in the playoffs, which was unthinkable at the start of the season.
If this is possible today, it is partly due to the success of newcomer Justin Turner.
There is no doubt that he was an excellent signing heading into this campaign, as evidenced by what will prove to be probably the best season of his career.
However, this may be his only campaign in a Red Stockings uniform. Indeed, Turner has a player option of $13.4 million which he will definitely turn down.
Even though he turns 39 next November, he could sign a much more lucrative contract than the option he has at his current pact.
The Red Sox would certainly want to bring the bearded man back to their ranks, as much for his batting from the right side as for his talents of leader.
For his part, Turner is well established in Boston. He and his wife have been active in the community and it is logical to assume that he would like to end his career in Massachusetts.
But this is where the shoe pinches.
First of all, it would be surprising if Boston’s newly stingy would suddenly want to pull out the checkbook for a veteran who doesn’t have much time left to roll in major league baseball.
Then, if Turner did return, it would undoubtedly be as the hitter of choice primarily, due to his poor defense and current heel injury.
In this case, that would mean the Sox couldn’t use either Rafael Devers or Masataka Yoshida as their designated hitter, with the two not quite masked wonders on defense, far from it.
And it’s not like Devers can be moved to first base to keep him from hurting the team with his defensive play at third base, since Triston Casas won’t budge from there.
All this to say that it would be more than a surprise if Turner were to return to Boston in 2024.
