Dodgers rumors: Justin Turner and Marcus Semien too?

Dodgers rumors: Champs to re-sign Justin Turner, add Marcus Semien?

It has not been a particularly busy offseason for the defending World Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, unless you count re-signing setup man Blake Treinan and acquiring former All-Star closer Corey Knebel, who has pitched 13.1 innings over the last two seasons, in a trade. But the Dodger rumors are beginning to percolate.

Third baseman Justin Turner is still unsigned and there is another veteran infielder who might be an attractive bounce-back project after a dreadful 2020 season.

And according to veteran baseball writer Peter Gammons, the Dodgers are reportedly looking to both keep Turner as well as add shortstop Marcus Semien.

Turner has played seven seasons in Los Angeles and last season hit .307/.400/.460 in 42 games, with nine doubles, four home runs and 23 RBI in 175 plate appearances. He walked 18 times with 26 punchouts. Turner matched his career high with 27 homers in 2019, but he also turned 36 in November.

He had an uneven postseason, going 0-for-8 in the NL Wild-Card Series win over the Milwaukee Brewers and was 2-for-10 with three RBI against the San Diego Padres in the NLDS.

But he hit .280/.379/.480 in 29 plate appearances, scoring six runs and hitting a solo homer, in the NLCS victory over the Atlanta Braves and notched a .320/.346/.720 slash line against the Tampa Bay Rays in the World Series, stroking four doubles and a pair of solo homers while scoring five times.

In 72 playoff games with Los Angeles, Turner is a career .296/.392/.507 hitter with 12 bombs and 41 RBI. He’s a steady hand with a ton of October experience.

Dodgers rumors: Where would Marcus Semien fit?

Let’s get this one out of the way quickly: World Series MVP Corey Seager is the shortstop for the World Champs, regardless of Dodgers rumors hinting the club may add another veteran at the position.

But adding Marcus Semien may fix one nagging problem the Dodgers had in 2020.

Five different players started games at second base last season — in a 60-game schedule. Enrique Hernandez led the pack with 22 starts, youngster Gavin Lux started 15, Chris Taylor and Max Muncy made 11 starts apiece and Mookie Betts — who made three errors in 14 starts at second for the Boston Red Sox as a rookie before starring in the outfield — made one start.

Zach McKinstry played an inning there in a substitute role, as well.

And between the whole lot of them, there was not a whole lot of hitting going on. Dodger second baseman slashed .202/.286/376 in 238 plate appearances last season, with eight doubles, nine home runs and 26 RBI while scoring 30 runs and striking out 61 times.

If you’re guessing that was the least productive position on the ballclub, you would be a very good guesser.

Enter Semien.

When he broke in with the Chicago White Sox in 2013, he spent more time at third base than he did at shortstop because the Sox already had veteran Alexei Ramirez manning the hole. After he was part of the package sent to the Oakland A’s in the December 2014 Jeff Samardzjia trade, he got an opportunity to play shortstop every day.

Semien turned 30 in September and is coming off a pretty rough 2020 season in which he hit a career-low .223/.306/.374 in 53 games and 236 plate appearances. He had nine doubles and seven homers, while driving in 23 runs and scoring 28.

He also struck out 50 times after posting just 102 in 747 plate appearances in 2019. Semien did have a solid postseason, going 3-for-12 in an AL Wild-Card Series win over the White Sox and absolutely battering the Houston Astros in a losing effort in the ALDS, going 8-for-15. He had a homer in each series as well.

Speaking of 2019, Semien was third in the American League MVP voting for a season during which he played all 162 games, led the majors in plate appearances, cracked 83 extra-base hits (43 doubles, seven triples and a career-best 33 homers), scored 123 times and had 92 RBI.

Get a version of Semien that is closer to those 2019 numbers and he gives the Dodgers some infield flexibility, such as — provided he returns — moving Turner back to second base and putting Semien’s younger body and stronger arm at third. Or manager Dave Roberts could leave Turner at third and put Semien on the other side of the middle-infield tandem with Seager.

Lux was thought to be the team’s second baseman of the future heading into spring training last year, but played in only 19 games once the season got underway and slashed .175/.246/.349 in 79 plate appearances. He did show a little pop with three home runs, but he also had 19 strikeouts.

Lux was on the postseason roster, striking out in his only appearance as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning of Game 3 against the Padres in the NLDS.

Semien would provide a hedge if Lux continues to not be quite ready for prime time and could provide another big right-handed bat should his 2020 troubles be in the rear-view mirror.

If nothing else, it’s an intriguing idea to toss around as we wait for spring training next month … maybe.