Justin Turner isn’t hanging up his spikes just yet. The longtime Dodgers infielder and 2020 World Series champion is signing with the Mexican League’s Tijuana Toros, reports David Vassegh of 570 Sports. Turner is represented by Vayner Sports.
The 41-year-old Turner is coming off a rough 2025 campaign with the Cubs. He posted a 71 wRC+ in part-time work at first base and DH. Turner delivered a solid .759 OPS against lefties, but he hit just .141 with zero home runs versus right-handed pitching. It was the first subpar offensive season for the veteran in more than a decade. He’d continued to produce into his late 30s before the forgettable year in Chicago.
Turner’s played for seven different teams in his 17-year MLB career. He bounced around between the Red Sox, Blue Jays, Mariners, and Cubs over the past three seasons, but he’s most remembered for his nine years with the Dodgers. After beginning his career as a reliable but unremarkable utility player, Turner emerged as a star in L.A. He burst on the scene with a .340/.404/.493 slash line as a semi-regular in 2014. He took over at third base full-time in 2016 and slugged a career-high 27 home runs. Turner finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting twice and received two All-Star selections with the Dodgers.
L.A. went to the World Series three times in four years from 2017 to 2020, with Turner as a key contributor. Turner delivered a .849 OPS in 83 plate appearances in the Fall Classic. The club came through with a title in the shortened 2020 season, and Turner slashed .320/.346/.720 in that series.
Photo courtesy of David Banks, Imagn Images
Can’t keep this man off the diamond.
If the Toros release him, hopefully the Churros pick him up.
Better the Churros than the Chorros.
Naw. The Cancun Fighting Chimichangas have already expressed an interest
I’m always looking for a baseball game dur5my travels. Went to Toros game a few years. Had a beer with hot sauce on the rim,watching some pretty decent baseball (Triple A level). It was fun.
Definitely an interesting signing I doubt he plays the full season there probably either latches on somewhere or quits/retires.
Is that you Tolbert
“…, at least you can say you’re from the Yankess!”
Abraham Toro needs to play for the Toros …..
Toros…sounds like a lot of bull.
And we all know what it happens when a bull sees red
Unless it’s being waved around, nothing.
Some geniuses running in Pamplona is much more tempting.
That’s a myth. Bulls are not actually attracted to or angered by the color red, as they are colorblind to red and green. They charge the matador’s cape because of the rapid, threatening movement, not its color. The cape is traditionally red to hide bloodstains and add drama, not to provoke the bull.
Reddit
Reddit
+4
That was what I was implying. I thought most people knew bulls don’t even see red. Then there’s the whole wounding the bull in the neck before before it even comes into the arena.
Yet I digress on humans’ malevolence.
I didn’t even see your reply tbh.
I’m just trying to have fun with the fact that Turner is a redhead guys
That makes sense. I called him Big R3D last year when he was with the Cubs.
@freddie…I think I picked up on you not
being too serious. I was commenting more literally and a bit tangentially.
A good player, a nice career. To bad he doesn’t know when to retire. Why are you embarrassing yourself playing in the Mexican league.
why are you embarrassing yourself putting an errant apostrophe in your user name?
Ending questions with periods is also an embarrassment to good grammar everywhere. Be better.
Haha got ‘em!
Because once he stops he never gets to pick it back up ever again.
Very rarely is a pro athlete embarrassed playing the game. To be there playing it alone is an achievement, especially at Turner’s age.
And if he’s making more money than most playing a game he loves to play while he can? Yeah, so embarrassing.
Next thing you’re going to tell me he has a beautiful wife, is universally loved in Los Angeles and most places he’s played due to being an excellent human who does real charity work. Super embarrassing.
I’m sure he’s likely crying over an authentic Mexican beer at his misfortune, now that you’ve pointed it out.
Yeah, Turner continues to win at life in many, many ways. Good luck, JT.
Peso’s gringo, peso’s🤣
CH
“he doesn’t know when to retire”
Why do you think he doesn’t know when to retire?
He doesn’t want to retire and a team is willing to hire him
This isn’t the time to retire, obviously
Turner just wants to be closer to Hong Kong (;
great dude, fantastic hitter in his prime
Pick and choose stats all you like, then step back and look at Turner’s slash line in his nine seasons with the Dodgers: .296/.375/.490/.865.
He has a future in management/coaching when he’s ready. The Mexican league is likely a transitioning move. Especially since everyone’s staffs are set.
You can bring him in as a special advisor, but why not play for now while talking with organizations about future goals and fit.
Many in LA expected Justin to come back to the Dodgers in a coaching capacity when he retires. He was such a big part of team leadership, and success during his time in Dodger blue.
I wouldn’t doubt other teams are reaching out to him, as he’s well regarded throughout the game.
JT might very well have a future in coaching or management, but it probably won’t be with the Dodgers. He seems to have been genuinely hurt by not getting a contract offer them and having to move on.
Class act, Mexico will embrace him!
Good depth piece for the Toros.
Why can’t these aging athletes ride off into the sunset. Then they can look back at their accomplishments and relish what they were,and we can remember them for who they are.
But no they want to relive a career that age slowed them up. Thus embarrassing ty themselves in the twilight of their careers.
Or maybe he just likes baseball and wants to keep playing
Jg
“embarrassing ty themselves ”
Why do you think that JT is embarrassed?
If the Mets kept him with with/instead of Wright? 🤔
Justin Turner:
I might retire
Justin’s wife:
Paint the fence and mow the lawn
Justin:
I play another year in mexico
Are things that bad that you have to play in Tijuana??