MESA, Ariz. — The Justin Turner deal won’t take the heat off Jed Hoyer’s front office or stop the criticism of the Ricketts family. But the Chicago Cubs needed a win, and a decorated player wanted to spend the twilight of his career at Wrigley Field. His signing brings some more credibility.
Spring training opened with Hoyer, the president of baseball operations, acknowledging the anxiety of working through the final year of his contract. Alex Bregman remained a free agent, representing a litmus test for ownership’s willingness to spend.
Cubs fans got their hopes up, scanning for updates on social media. Cubs players hailed Bregman as a special talent with charisma and a high baseball IQ. Cubs officials agreed that the All-Star third baseman would be an ideal fit at this moment, a finishing piece to their multiyear rebuild.
Bregman passed on an underwhelming four-year, $115 million offer from the Cubs and chose the Boston Red Sox. That created an opening for Turner, who doesn’t play much third base anymore but still commands respect as a hitting savant and a clutch playoff performer.
“Winning cures everything,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “It always has, and probably always will. So the more that you can get guys who have been there and done that, and done it on the highest stages, the biggest stages, and been a part of something that’s bigger than themselves, the better off you’re going to be. Because they understand what it takes.”
Turner appeared in the locker room of the Sloan Park training complex at 8:02 a.m. on Wednesday and tried on a Cubs hat before his one-year, $6 million contract had been finalized. Fans in Chicago will recognize the red beard — Turner was the co-MVP of the 2017 National League Championship Series that ended the Cubs’ reign as defending World Series champs.
During his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Turner competed in 19 playoff rounds (.830 OPS) and earned a 2020 World Series ring. How he got to that mountaintop is instructive.
A postseason stalwart with the Dodgers, Justin Turner helped the club secure the 2020 World Series. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Early in his career, Turner was traded by the Cincinnati Reds, placed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles and non-tendered by the New York Mets. He was ahead of the curve with launch angle, honing his swing and developing a routine that will have him playing after his 40th birthday.
Turner also embraced the idea of defensive versatility and enjoyed the big-market pressure, an attitude that will set an example for young players such as third baseman Matt Shaw. Even established hitters are looking forward to using Turner as a sounding board.
“All of those things help the total group,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. “Any time you can lean on guys who have done a lot in the game, and experienced a ton of different things, that’s a huge asset.”
A through line from the offseason to spring training in Arizona has been the Cubs’ ability to add players who have already won the World Series. Kyle Tucker, the headliner in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Astros, accomplished that goal in 2022, part of a run that saw him go to five consecutive American League Championship Series.
Ryan Pressly, who was also acquired from the Astros this winter, has 14 career postseason saves, including the final out of the 2022 World Series. Ryan Brasier, another proven reliever in his late 30s, was part of Boston’s 2018 championship club and the Dodgers team that won last year’s World Series.
Swanson, the signature $177 million free agent from an earlier phase of this build-out, won the 2021 World Series with the Atlanta Braves. Collectively, the hope is that muscle memory will help the Cubs break through the 83-win ceiling they’ve hit in each of the last two seasons.
Before joining the Cubs, Dansby Swanson helped the Braves beat the Astros in the 2021 World Series. (Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
“You watch playoff baseball, it’s a different level of competition,” Hoyer said. “Every pitch is that important. Every swing decision is that important. You always want to have guys who have been through that. I think about our team in 2015 and watching sort of the anxiety on guys’ faces going into those games. And then watching how they reacted in ‘16.
“You grow from those experiences. You can’t speed that up. You win with young teams, for sure, but there are guys who have been through those at-bats over and over, and it helps to have some of that veteran know-how.”
Turner will be paired with Michael Busch, the left-handed-hitting first baseman coming off a good rookie season. If Seiya Suzuki needs to move to the outfield due to an injury, Turner could take over as the primary designated hitter. Turner was not signed to be a third baseman, but he could provide some coverage there if absolutely needed.
Beyond the roster configurations, though, is a recognition that a 40-year-old with more than $135 million in career earnings (per Baseball-Reference) showed up for work in Mesa.
“Somebody at that age who’s still willing to be out here and wants to pursue greatness, that tells you all you need to know about him,” Swanson said. “That tells you what he thinks about this group as well. He wants to be here. I don’t think he wants to waste years away. Wanting to be here — and be a part of this group and the Chicago Cubs — is awesome.”
(Top photo of Turner in the 2020 World Series: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
