Infielder Justin Turner is headed into free agency after his mutual option with the Cubs was declined, according to an announcement by the Major League Baseball Players Association this morning. It’s not clear who between Turner and the Cubs declined their end of the option, but either way Turner will be paid a $2MM buyout rather than a $10MM salary for 2026.
Turner, 41 later this month, had his first below-average season in over a decade in 2025. The veteran hit just .219/.288/.314 with a wRC+ of 71 in across 80 games and 191 plate appearances. He was largely a bench player for the Cubs this past season, with his primary role in Chicago being to serve as a platoon partner for the lefty-swinging Michael Busch at first base.
In that specific role, Turner actually did reasonably well for himself. He slashed .276/.330/.429 (112 wRC+) in 109 plate appearances against left-handed pitching. That’s a perfectly solid number, but it’s belied by atrocious numbers against same-handed pitching. Righties limited Turner to a slash line of just .141/.232/.155 with a wRC+ of just 16 in 82 trips to the plate. That’s the worst production against right-handed pitching among hitters with at least 70 trips to the plate against righties this year, and it left Turner is negative WAR according to both Fangraphs and Baseball Reference this year.
As Turner nears his 41st birthday, he hasn’t indicated one way or another what his plans are for the future. If he looks to continue his playing career, it’s not hard to imagine a team valuing his experience and leadership in the clubhouse enough to give him an invitation to Spring Training and allow him to compete for a bench role despite his rough 2025 campaign. With that being said, a big league guarantee on the level he received last offseason is hard to imagine, and he’d mostly only fit on a roster that struggles badly at the plate against southpaws.
As for the Cubs, they’ll be looking to largely overhaul their bench mix this winter. Turner and Willi Castro are both headed into free agency, while Reese McGuire is a potential non-tender candidate. A platoon partner for Busch may not be quite as necessary as it seemed this time last year after his breakout 2025 season where he posted a 140 wRC+ and even managed to post a 143 wRC+ against southpaws from July 1 onward. That’s a sample of just 52 plate appearances, however, and if the Cubs do want some insurance they could turn to someone like Wilmer Flores, Ty France, or Connor Joe.
Hire him as a coach if you need a spirit guide for PCA. Or whatever it was he was doing last year.
I actually think he’d make a great bench coach.
Turner is a multiple time all-star and a 2020 World champion. He hit his 200th home run during the 2025 season which makes for a nice final personal achievement. His run as a player is over.
I was just about to say the same thing Uncle. Make him the bench coach or assistant bench coach or something
Is Flaherty leaving? Might be possible!
He’s at least a candidate for one of the vacant managerial spots. Not sure if they’ve all been filled though
They could always make you some bs title for him.
It’s probably safe to say it was the Cubs who declined.
pretty clear the Cubs declined it😅
He has had a great career, but it is time put the glove away.
Thank god. The Cubs fascination with veterans who can’t play anymore is troubling. Hire him as a coach. Let someone with actual upside play.
Agreed, especially with older veterans like Mancini, Berti and Turner.
Lets get the 2025-2026 Free Agent Prediction Contest up and going !
@Shawn W.
I predict everyone signs with the Dodgers!
I think Justin might be better off as a coach moving forward. His bat has fallen off a cliff after a very good run of productive hitting.
Adios, Gwildor.
Turner looked cooked by the end of the season. Soon to be 41 it might be time to call it a career and Justin had a pretty good one
His real contribution, in 2025, was being a mentor to younger players.
Justin Turner, though pretty much done, nevertheless has two walk-off hits for the Cubs this season. That’s two more than Kyle Tucker had.
I suppose most of you think that kind of thing is entirely arbitrary, coincidental. I don’t. There is something about Tucker’s game that is, well, anti-heroic. Healthy, he provides a certain level of value, sure–but he doesn’t do great things. The Cubs will be better without Tucker.
I suppose some of the poor-reading-comprehension types among you will read the above as meaning, oh, Alan53 thinks Turner is better than Tucker. No, that’s not what I’m saying. What I’m saying is that there is a quality to Tucker’s play that makes me want him not to be on the Cubs. The Cubs need to do better than that.
He’ll be okay. Even if he decides to hang up his cleats, he can still continue to do those Scotts lawn care commercials.
That’s his brother, Groundskeeper Willie.
Ceremonial contract to retire as a Dodger seems reasonable.
Nearly 40 BWar and $140 mil earned. Thats a really solid career.
Can definitely see him coaching if he’s interested in going that direction.
I think we all know what happens when Reese McGuire has extra free time. Sign him as a AAA catcher at minimum, just to keep his bat out of his hands.