Los Angeles Dodgers: Alternatives for Justin Turner
Justin Turner has become one of the most controversial players this offseason and is now a free agent. Do the Los Angeles Dodgers invite him back? What are the other options?
Justin Turner shocked Los Angeles Dodgers fans after magically disappearing from game six of the World Series. The viewers would later find out that he had tested positive so he was removed from the World Series immediately.
What became more controversial about the Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman was he joined his teammates on the field after winning the World Series. And as you could imagine, the comments started to roll in and people questioned Justin Turner’s decision to endanger his teammates and the Dodgers staff.
But what is interesting is that Turner’s teammates defended his decision to join the celebration while wearing a mask. Turner has turned into the most controversial person in baseball as of late and it is sort of at a bad time because he is a free agent.
Turner is now 35-year-old but he is still producing at a great rate. Justin Turner has been the heart of the Dodgers offense since 2014 and was a big piece in the Dodgers 2020 World Series title as well, but his future might be in further question after his World Series decision. To clarify, this is all speculation and there are no reports on whether the Dodgers plan on re-signing him or not.
But, here are some key questions for this exercise. Does Los Angeles need him? Does his controversial decision have a huge impact on the Dodgers’ decision? What are the Dodgers’ alternatives?
Los Angeles Dodgers alternative No. 1: Max Muncy can play third base
Option number one for the Los Angeles Dodgers might be to play Max Muncy at third base every day if they do not bring back Turner. Max Muncy has played first, second and third for the Dodgers and even played third 16 times in the 2020 regular season.
Muncy has been another important player for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but not quite as much as Justin Turner. Muncy is five years younger than Turner, so he might be a better long term option for the Dodgers than Turner, who is 35-years-old.
Muncy did struggle to hit in the 2020 regular season, but he was an All-Star in 2019. I think Muncy is a great alternative to Turner. Muncy might lack a little in offensive output compared to Turner, but he is used to hitting in the cleanup spot.
The Dodgers are so good offensively and will continue to get better, so losing Turner might not be as big of a hit as some may think.
The 26-year-old Puerto Rican, Edwin Rios, could fill Turner’s void
Edwin Rios has played just 60 games in two seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers and has shown great promise. In the 2020 regular season, Rios finished with a .250 batting average, eight home runs, and 17 RBIs.
The young power hitter has failed to see consistent playing time because the Dodgers have so many talented players in front of Rios. If the Dodgers decide to move on from Justin Turner, Rios could slot right into the starting lineup.
Max Muncy has played most of his game at first base, so Dave Roberts might be more comfortable keeping Muncy at first and let Rios play third (to counter my first alternative). Cody Bellinger has looked good in the outfield so there is also no reason to bring him back into the infield and move Muncy around.
Edwin Rios is not the most sure-handed third baseman especially compared to Justin Turner, but Rios has plenty of growth potential as a 26-year-old. He is surrounded by a great coaching staff and teammates that could help him excel at third base. And to remind you, Rios has only played in 60 games, so he has a long career ahead of him
I would not be surprised if Rios takes over the third base position in 2021. Or even if Turner does return, I could see Rios getting more playtime than in 2020.
Matt Beaty is another player waiting in the shadows for playtime
Matt Beaty has been a utility player for the Los Angeles Dodgers since 2019 and has played left field, right field, third base, and first base. Beaty is 27-years-old and is a left-handed hitter just like Edwin Rios.
Beaty does not have as much pop as Rios does, but he has shown glimpses of being a solid MLB hitter. In his 2019 rookie season, he finished the season with a .265 batting average, hitting nine home runs and a surprising 46 RBI. Beaty drove in those 46 runs in just 99 games which is pretty impressive. But, when all said in done, Justin Turner is more of an offensive threat than Beaty.
In the 2020 regular season, he played in 21 games out of 60, batting .220 and hitting only two home runs. For me, Rios has a much higher ceiling and would be the lead candidate over Beaty to take over the third base position. Although, Beaty is just 27-years-old and the Dodgers could help Beaty transform his offense. They did that with Chris Taylor who surged onto the scene after being acquired from the Seattle Mariners where his offensive output was minimal.
Beaty does outplay Rios in defense which is one of the reasons why he has been useful for Dave Roberts as a jack-of-all-trades. The difficult thing for the Dodgers is the first three alternatives (Muncy, Rios, and Beaty) are all left-handed hitters. So you cannot platoon Rios, Beaty, or Muncy which could have been an ideal situation if they hit from the opposite sides of the plate. The Los Angeles Dodgers could also look externally into the free-agent market to replace Turner if he is not invited back.
Why not make the loss of Justin Turner an opportunity for an upgrade by signing DJ LeMahieu?
DJ LeMahieu is one of the most prized free agents this offseason. The Yankees did send LeMahieu a qualifying offer, but everyone is expecting him to decline it. LeMahieu is worth more than $18.9million. As one of the most sought after infielders, I fully expect the Los Angeles Dodgers at least have a conversation with him.
It would not be a normal season if the Dodgers were not going after a big star like LeMahieu. The former Yankees infielder has another great season during 2020, and arguably had the best season of his career. LeMahieu is such a valuable asset because he is amazing on both sides of the game.
LeMahieu is a career .305 hitter, with a .787 OPS. He also has three Gold Glove Awards. And on top of that, LeMahieu can play anywhere on the infield except shortstop. He has spent most of his playing days at second base, 86% of games, and has played third base 8.9% of games.
It is almost a perfect scenario for the Dodgers if they can afford another star player like LeMahieu. The Dodgers have one of the most expensive payrolls in the MLB, but if the organization were to add a little more spending money into the mix, LeMahieu would be worth it.
The 6’4″ 32-year-old is an upgrade in my mind, over Justin Turner. I do respect Turner and his contributions, but LeMahieu is a whole nother player. If the Dodgers added DJ LeMahieu, it would be like Thanos finding the final infinity stone to complete his gauntlet.
Next. Top 25 free agents this offseason. dark
With all that being said, the Los Angeles Dodgers have various ways to approach this offseason. Obviously, they could re-sign Turner, which would completely deny any of the alternatives I provided. But you do start to wonder what Justin Turner’s future looks like as a 35-year-old, who just made a foolish mistake in the World Series. The Dodgers have some young options from within, and they have a stud on the free-agent market that could help lead them to defend their title.