TORONTO: Justin Turner is prepared to embody any aspect of himself that the Toronto Blue Jays wish.
Speaking to reporters via video conference on Friday, Turner stated, “My job is to be available for (manager John) Schneider in any
way he needs me, and for as many games as I possibly can.” This was Turner’s first time speaking to reporters since signing a one-year
contract worth US$13 million plus incentives with the Blue Jays on January 30.
“I want Schneids to be able to plug me in wherever he needs me to play, and I want to be healthy for 162 (games).”
“I’ll be prepared to play third base, if it means playing a lot of it. I’ll be prepared if Vlad is spelled incorrectly at first. It’s also fantastic
if the position is primarily DH-related.”
Throughout his fruitful 15-year MLB career, mostly with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Turner’s defining traits have been versatility and
selflessness.
Although Turner’s utilityman resume would make his manager happy, his recent age has restricted his field work to spot duty.
For the Boston Red Sox in 2023, the 39-year-old made just seven starts at third base. He also had 10 starts at second and 41 at first,
mostly as a designated hitter.
Nevertheless, the Blue Jays needed
Turner shown last season that he still has a lot to offer offensively. In 2023, he was a rare bright light on a Red Sox team in disarray.
Despite playing with an ankle injury for the most of the schedule’s second half, he had an excellent.800 OPS,.276 batting average,
and.455 slugging percentage in 626 plate appearances across 146 games.
Turner was third on the club with 23 home runs and second in RBIs (96), only behind standout third baseman Rafael Devers.
Turner would have been among the Blue Jays’ best hitters if those stats had been met, and that knowledge helped Toronto become a
desirable travel destination when a reunion with the Red Sox became unfeasible.
Regarding his free agency choice, Turner stated, “I like to compile a list of places that I would hope to land at, and Toronto was one of
the teams at the top of that list.”
Turner claimed that while playing in Boston, he had a “front-row view” of the division-rival Blue Jays and realized that Toronto had
many things to offer.
“Their starting pitching, their bullpen, which is fantastic,” Turner stated. “(And) there is undoubtedly a lot of quality in that lineup—
some of those guys may have had a poor offensive year, but they still managed to be a playoff team,” the author writes.
The Blue Jays, who qualified for three wild-card series but lost all of them, are eager to move on from their prior postseason
performances.
Turner is prepared to assist in getting the young and gifted Blue Jays across the finish line because he understands what it takes to
win. He made this apparent on Friday.
Regarding what helped the Dodgers win a World Series three years prior, Turner remarked, “If you want to win a World Series, we’re
going to have to swallow some pride and just do what it takes.”
“I assure you, when you’re holding that trophy at the end of the day, you won’t care about whether it’s the sexy role or not.”
Turner understands that as a seasoned player, he must lead by example and gain the respect of his teammates. It will take sacrifice for
the Blue Jays to have a chance at a
Turner remarked, “I’m frequently asked, ‘What is your favorite position?’ It’s literally just being in the lineup.”
The Canadian Press originally released this story on February 2, 2024.
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