The Red Sox have added a former NLCS MVP to their infield.
Justin Turner agreed to a one-year, $8.3 million contract with the Red Sox Sunday that includes a 2024 player option at $13.4 million.
The Long Beach, Calif., native became a fan favorite with the Dodgers during nine seasons in Los Angeles. He made two All-Star appearances and is the 2022 Roberto Clemente Award winner, which is given to a player both for his on-field performance and his charitable work in the community.
At 38, he’s the oldest player on the Red Sox roster. He made his first MLB appearance in 2009 at Fenway Park when he pinch hit for the Baltimore Orioles.
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So, how will Turner fit in at Fenway 14 years later? Here are six things to know about him.
He won a World Series with Kenley Jansen and Kiké Hernández.
While Turner has spent the vast majority of his career in the National League, Turner should have some familiarity with the Red Sox roster.
Turner was on the Dodgers’ 2020 World Series-winning team, and he famously got pulled during the eighth inning of Game 6 for testing positive for COVID-19. He still showed up for the postgame celebratory photos and ended up apologizing afterward.
Turner played with several current Red Sox in Los Angeles, including Kiké Hernández and new closer Kenley Jansen, both of whom were on the 2020 team. Alex Verdugo also played with Turner during his three years with the Dodgers.
He’ll likely DH, but he can also play the field.
Turner was the Dodgers’ starting third baseman for his his first eight years with them, before splitting time as designated hitter in 2022. But the Red Sox have Rafael Devers at third, so Turner will likely see more reps at DH and first base with the Red Sox.
Turner, a career .289 hitter, has been a steady bat, although his power has fluctuated in recent years. He hit a career-high 27 home runs in 2019 and 2021. He had 27 home runs combined in 2022 and 2018.
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While his home run production was down last year, he hit a career-high 36 doubles and drove in 81 runs.
His wedding was officiated by a Cy Young Award winner.
Nervous isn’t the word you’d typically associate with Orel Hershiser.
But, the 1988 World Series MVP and Cy Young award winner “might’ve had butterflies” when he officiated Turner’s wedding in 2018, according to the LA Times.
“I actually teared up,” Hershiser said. “To know Justin’s background — growing up in Southern California, with the Dodgers a huge part of his life — for him to think that highly of me in the past and then in the present, that made it a huge honor.”
He got beaned during the 2003 College World Series.
Nearly two decades ago, Turner was starring in the College World Series for Cal State Fullerton.
He was 3 for 3 with a home run during one of the games when he was hit in the face by a fastball. Luckily, he avoided major injuries. After being taken to a local hospital, X-Rays revealed contusions on his face but no fractures, according to an Associated Press report.
Turner was named to the all-tournament team and led Fullerton to the College World Series national title the following year.
He once played in the Cape Cod League.
A year after winning the College World Series in 2004, Turner spent the summer of 2005 playing for the Yarmouth-Dennis Red Sox in the Cape Cod Baseball League.
A post on the league’s website described Turner as a hard worker and a great teammate who led the team in at-bats [154] and finished second on the team in hits [40] and runs batted in [20] in 2005.
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He was drafted by the Yankees, but didn’t sign.
The New York Yankees drafted Turner in the 29th round of the 2005 MLB Draft after his junior season, but he did not sign with club. .
The following year he was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the seventh round.
After a couple seasons in the minor leagues, Turner was traded to the Baltimore Orioles, where he subsequently made his MLB debut. He was waived in 2010 and picked up by the Mets, where he saw regular time before signing with the Dodgers following the 2013 season.