Player Outlook
While it wasn't by design, the Red Sox and Dodgers switched designated hitters with Justin Turner signing in Boston on a one-year contract, with a player option. The deal called for a bonus every 20 plate appearances between 480 and 560. Turner should have kept going in the negotiation as he finished with a career-high 626 trips to the dish, mostly at designated hitter, but he also played ample first base to qualify at the spot next season, as well as appearing at second and third base. Turner set a new personal best with 96 RBI while falling one short of tying his career mark in runs. Even so, Turner's 114 wRC+ was his lowest since 2013, his last season with the Mets. Turner declined his $13.4 million player option, so his role entering 2024 is unclear. He's avoided the IL for two of the past three seasons, but at 39-years-old, he can't be counted on for another full season. Even so, especially with first base eligibility, Turner can be a mixed league asset, just have a backup corner at the ready.

Fantasy Stats

Year fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
r
Runs
hr
Home Runs
rbi
Runs Batted In
bb
Base on Balls (Walk)
sb
Stolen Bases
avg
Batting Average
2024 .000
2023 4503.1 86 23 96 51 4 .276
2022 364.52.8 61 13 81 50 3 .278
3y Avg. 423.53 78 21 88 54 3 .277
Projections Powered by
Fantasy Performance by Week
87%
Roster
61%
Start

Fantasy News

  • Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Swats first spring homer

    Turner went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in Wednesday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates. The veteran slugger got hold of a Roansy Contreras offering in the first inning and launched it down the left-field line for his first homer of the spring. Turner is batting .333 (8-for-24) in Grapefruit League action with a 5:4 BB:K, and the 39-year-old is showing no signs of slowing down as he gets ready for his first season in a Blue Jays uniform.
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  • Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Three hits in Tuesday's game

    Turner went 3-for-3 with two RBI in Tuesday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees. New York didn't send its A-listers to Dunedin for the contest -- Turner's singles came off Dennis Santana, Duane Underwood and Clayton Andrews -- but it was still a nice performance from the 39-year-old slugger. Turner is batting .333 (7-for-21) through 10 spring contests with a 5:4 BB:K, although his only extra-base hit so far is a double. He's expected to spend most of the season as the Blue Jays' DH while hitting in the heart of the order.
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  • Blue Jays' Justin Turner: Gets one-year deal from Blue Jays

    Turner signed a one-year, $13 million contract with the Blue Jays on Tuesday, Jon Morosi of MLB Network reports. He can earn an additional $1.5 million in roster and performance bonuses. Turner is expected to be Toronto's primary designated hitter in 2024 while also providing the Jays with an option at third base and first base. Most importantly, he will give the team some more thump in the middle of its lineup. The 39-year-old slashed .276/.345/.455 with 23 home runs and 96 RBI last season with Boston.
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  • Justin Turner: Declines player option

    Turner declined his $13.4 million player option for 2024 on Friday, Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic reports. Turner will become a free agent and receive a $6.7 million buyout for declining his option. After belting 23 homers and a career-high 96 RBI for the Red Sox in 2023, the 38-year-old veteran should have little trouble finding a team willing to offer him a contract similar to the $8.3 million deal he signed last offseason.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Getting day off Thursday

    Turner is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Baltimore, Chris Cotillo of The Springfield Republican reports. Turner had started each of the last seven contests for the Red Sox but will get a well-earned break Thursday. Masataka Yoshida will serve as Boston's designated hitter and Bobby Dalbec will man first base.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Playing through pain

    Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Wednesday he does not plan to shut down Turner, who has been dealing with a bone bruise in his heel since August, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. Cora pledged Wednesday that the team will play out the string with its best players, and Turner has been one of them for much of the season. He started Wednesday's game, his 17th start through 19 games in September, but the injury may be taking its toll; Turner has a .625 OPS during the month. The player has given Cora no indication that he can't finish the season. "He won't tell me. He's always available. He wants to play," Cora said. "We signed him for 162-plus but right now, it looks like it's 162 and we've got to play through it. We've got to play all the way to the end." Turner is hitting .280 with 23 home runs, 95 RBI and an .818 OPS this season.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Takes seat Monday

    Turner is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Rangers, according to Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. Turner recorded just one hit in 11 at-bats over the past two days, so manager Alex Cora decided to give him a breather Monday. Trevor Story will serve as Boston's designated hitter and Bobby Dalbec will get the nod at first base.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Covers first for Casas

    Turner started at first base and went 2-for-4 with two doubles in Friday's 3-0 loss to the Blue Jays. Turner stepped in at first base for an injured Triston Casas (shoulder). The 38-year-old Turner has been a consistent producer and clubhouse presence all season for Boston and is expected to remain a regular over the final two weeks of the season. At this point, Adam Duvall is the veteran apt to lose plate appearances to younger talent.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Idle during nightcap

    Turner isn't in Boston's lineup for Game 2 of Thursday's doubleheader with the Yankees, Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald reports. Turner will get to rest during Game 2 after going 1-for-4 to begin Thursday's activities. Rafael Devers will instead serve as the Red Sox's designated hitter while Luis Urias starts at the hot corner and bats ninth.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Not in Wednesday's lineup

    Turner is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees, Gabrielle Starr of the Boston Herald reports. Turner started the previous 20 games but will step out of the lineup Wednesday after he posted a .253/.345/.400 slash line with three homers, 15 RBI and 12 runs during that stretch. Masataka Yoshida will serve as the designated hitter while Wilyer Abreu starts in left field.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Big game Saturday

    Turner went 3-for-4 with a double, a solo homer and an additional RBI and run scored in Saturday's win over the Dodgers. Turner blasted a solo homer in the fourth inning, doubled and scored a run in the sixth, and added a run-scoring single in the seventh. The veteran's three-hit performance raised his second-half batting average to .293 alongside eight homers, 32 RBI and 21 runs across 116 at-bats.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Returns to lineup

    Turner served as the designated hitter and went 2-for-5 with two RBI in Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the Astros. Turner was back in the lineup after receiving Monday off. He's been nursing a bruised heel and had been asked to play the field, something manager Alex Cora is trying to avoid, for consecutive games over the weekend.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Homer, four RBI Sunday

    Turner went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run and four RBI in Sunday's 6-5 victory over the Yankees. Turner put the Red Sox ahead 5-2 in the seventh inning with a two-run homer off Michael King, his 20th long ball of the year, before breaking a 5-5 tie with an RBI double in the ninth. Over his last eight games, the 38-year-old Turner's gone 10-for-29 (.345) with three home runs. His slash line is up to .288/.356/.488 with 79 RBI and 72 runs scored across 483 plate appearances this season. Turner made a second consecutive start at first base, but Triston Casas (tooth) could return Monday, which would allow Turner to return to DH. He's been battling a bruised bone in his left heel, and the Red Sox want to keep him off the foot as much as possible.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Plays field Saturday

    Turner started at first base and went 0-for-4 in Saturday's 8-1 win over the Yankees. Turner hadn't played the field since July 30 because the Red Sox are trying to keep him off his feet as much as possible while he battles bruised left heel. A last-minute adjustment to Saturday's lineup was needed when Triston Casas (tooth) was scratched. Earlier this week, Red Sox manager Alex Cora said Pablo Reyes would assume the backup duties at first base due to Turner's condition, but the manager wanted to give Trevor Story a breather, and Reyes filled in at shortstop. Casas may not be available Sunday, so if Story returns to play shortstop, Reyes could take over at first base while Turner serves as the DH.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Sitting out Thursday

    Turner is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Nationals, Ian Browne of MLB.com reports. Turner had started four straight games after returning from a heel injury over the weekend, but he'll sit out this afternoon tilt following Wednesday's night game loss to the Nats. Trevor Story is getting a day at designated hitter while Pablo Reyes plays shortstop.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Limited to DH

    Turner will be limited to designated hitter duty while he plays through a bone bruise in his left heel, Chris Cotillo of MassLive.com reports. Turner, who missed seven of 10 games at the start of August, returned to action four games ago, but Red Sox manager Alex Cora said playing the field is "off the table for a while." Turner will continue to serve as the DH as long as he's otherwise healthy. He's 5-for-16 with two home runs since his return.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Returns as designated hitter

    Turner (heel) is back in the lineup Saturday against the Tigers, batting third and serving as the designated hitter. Turner has been dealing with a bone bruise in his left heel throughout August, appearing in just three games and none since Monday. The injury typically requires an absence of at least a month, but the veteran has elected to play through the problem down the stretch. Whether or not the issue leads to increased absences and decreased performance remains to be seen.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Remains sidelined Friday

    Turner (heel) is out of the lineup again Friday versus the Tigers. Turner hasn't appeared in a game since Monday due to lingering discomfort related to a bone bruise in his left heel. He acknowledged this week that he'll likely have to play through pain down the stretch, which suggests he will face future shutdowns even after he returns. Pablo Reyes is covering second base Friday and Masataka Yoshida will serve as Boston's designated hitter.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Held out again Thursday

    Turner (heel) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's tilt against the Royals. Turner has now sat out three straight games and six of the last nine contests due to a left heel bone bruise suffered back on July 31. It's an injury that often requires a multi-week absence, although Turner plans to play through it and could be back in the lineup as soon as Friday. Trevor Story will be the designated hitter again Thursday as Pablo Reyes handles shortstop.
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  • Red Sox's Justin Turner: Plans to play through heel injury

    Turner told Alex Speier of the Boston Globe on Wednesday that the left heel bone bruise he's dealing with typically requires 4-6 weeks of downtime, but he plans to play through the injury. "It's an interesting one," Turner said. "It's a bone bruise. There's no real remedy for a bone bruise. You ask a medical person, they'll tell you 4-6 weeks avoiding impact. Obviously I don't have that luxury. So, trying to calm it down and get it as under control as I can and then try to go again and not piss it off. You don't really have a lot of options." Turner injured the heel back on July 31 and has started just three of eight games since, including sitting out each of Boston's last two contests. He could return to the lineup as soon as Thursday and plans to avoid the injured list, but it's certainly an injury that could affect Turner's production even if he does manage to play through it.
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