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Latest On Blue Jays’ Free Agent Targets

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2:24PM: Toronto also has interest in J.T. Realmuto, according to Sports Grid’s Craig Mish (Twitter link).  While the Jays have a fair amount of catching depth already on hand, Realmuto would obviously present a big upgrade over current starter Danny Jansen, backup Reese McGuire, and top prospect Alejandro Kirk.  If the Blue Jays did sign Realmuto, it’s fair to assume the Jays would shop at least one of their in-house catchers to other teams.

12:32PM: For the second straight offseason, the Blue Jays are checking in on a wide range of free agent options.  The club has already been linked to George Springer and DJ LeMahieu, and now The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal (subscription required) adds that Toronto has spoken with representatives for Michael Brantley and Justin Turner, and the Jays also made an offer to Kevin Gausman before Gausman accepted the Giants’ one-year, $18.9MM qualifying offer.  Going beyond only established big leaguers, MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reports that the Jays have interest in Korean shortstop Ha-Seong Kim, noting that Toronto has “evaluated him closely.”

Beginning with the position players, Brantley, Turner, and Kim would each cost less than the likes of Springer or LeMahieu.  MLBTR’s list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents had Brantley and Turner right next to each other in the No. 13 and 14 positions, projecting the two veterans for similar contracts — Brantley a two-year, $28MM pact and Turner for two years and $24MM.  Kim ranked seventh on the list due to his younger age (25), projected for a five-year, $40MM deal and another $7.625MM in a posting fee to the KBO League’s Kiwoom Heroes.

Brantley turned 34 in May and is seemingly less of a positional need for the Jays since he has exclusively played as a left fielder or DH over the last five seasons.  Toronto already has Lourdes Gurriel Jr. in left field and a Vladimir Guerrero Jr./Rowdy Tellez tandem penciled in for the first base and DH roles, so a Brantley signing would to hint that a trade could be in the offing.  Guerrero has been vocal about wanting to play third base again, so conceivably the Jays could find room for Brantley without a trade, but it doesn’t seem too likely that the team would install Guerrero as a full-time option at the hot corner.

Turner or Kim would be the easier positional fit since either could immediately slide into the Blue Jays’ open third base spot.  Turner just celebrated his 36th birthday yesterday and, like Brantley, continues to swing a powerful bat into his 30’s.  A return to Los Angeles is certainly possible, however, as Rosenthal writes that Turner “still appears to be [the Dodgers’] first choice” in terms of infield additions, though they perhaps couldn’t be ruled out as a potential suitor for LeMahieu.  While Turner’s positive coronavirus test during Game 6 of the World Series and subsequent post-game return to the field to celebrate with his Dodgers teammates adds an inescapably strange footnote to his career, Turner won’t face any league discipline for the breach of COVID-19 protocol.

Signing Kim would be perhaps the most intriguing move possible, as unlike Brantley or Turner, Kim would be seen as a long-term building block to a Toronto organization that is already stocked with young infield talent both on the MLB roster and in the farm system.  While Kim could play third base immediately, he is also a well-regarded defensive shortstop, so the Blue Jays could experiment with trying Kim at short and moving current shortstop Bo Bichette to second or third base (with Cavan Biggio playing the other position).

Adding Kim might also made it more feasible for the Jays to trade one of their top infield prospects, with Jordan Groshans, Miguel Hiraldo, or Orelvis Martinez probably more likely to be moved than 2020 fifth-overall pick Austin Martin.  Since Martin is also a multi-positional threat, the Jays might try to develop him as a center fielder if Kim is signed to bolster the infield picture.  The Blue Jays (and the 29 other MLB teams) will get their first chance to directly speak with Kim after his 30-day negotiating window opens on November 26.

While possibilities abound on the position player side, pitching is Toronto’s chief focus this winter, so it isn’t surprising that they made an early pitch for Gausman.  Rosenthal reports that the Jays offered Gausman a three-year deal worth roughly $40MM, though the right-hander instead opted for the one-year deal to remain in San Francisco.  Should Gausman deliver another good season in 2021 and then return to the free agent market next winter, he’ll surely receive offers beyond the two years and $21.1MM he left on the table to accept the Giants’ qualifying offer.

MLB Will Not Discipline Justin Turner

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Major League Baseball will not discipline Justin Turner for his actions following Game 6 of the World Series, the league announced. Turner, of course, was removed from the eighth inning of the Dodgers’ series-clinching victory after testing positive for COVID-19. He subsequently returned to the field to partake in the Dodgers’ postgame celebration in violation of league protocols.

Despite roundly criticizing Turner’s actions in the immediate aftermath of Game 6, Commissioner Rob Manfred struck a much more conciliatory tone this time around. From Manfred’s statement:

As is often the case, our investigation revealed additional relevant information that, while not exonerating Mr. Turner from responsibility for his conduct, helps put into context why he chose to leave the isolation room and return to the field.  First, Mr. Turner’s teammates actively encouraged him to leave the isolation room and return to the field for a photograph.  Many teammates felt they had already been exposed to Mr. Turner and were prepared to tolerate the additional risk.  Second, Mr. Turner believes that he received permission from at least one Dodger’s employee to return to the field to participate in a photograph.  Although Mr. Turner’s belief may have been the product of a miscommunication, at least two Dodgers employees said nothing to Mr. Turner as he made his way to the field, which they admitted may have created the impression that his conduct was acceptable. 

Third, during the somewhat chaotic situation on the field, Mr. Turner was incorrectly told by an unidentified person that other players had tested positive creating the impression in Mr. Turner’s mind that he was being singled out for isolation.  Finally, Major League Baseball could have handled the situation more effectively.   For example, in retrospect, a security person should have been assigned to monitor Mr. Turner when he was asked to isolate, and Mr. Turner should have been transported from the stadium to the hotel more promptly. 

The commissioner went on to note that Turner expressed regret over his actions (as he did in a statement of his own). Manfred also pointed to Turner’s status as a clubhouse leader and his positive work in the community as mitigating factors. Dodgers president Stan Kasten also lauded Turner’s broader work in the community and noted that events “unfolded rapidly and chaotically” over the season’s final few hours.

Potential mitigating factors notwithstanding, it registers as a surprise Turner escaped without any form of punishment. As the commissioner noted, other Dodger players, staff and MLB do bear some amount of responsibility for the way things transpired. That said, Turner’s actions flew in the face of the overwhelming level of precautions the league, players and staff took over the course of the season to help get to that point. The situation also made for terrible optics for the league at a time when COVID-19 cases are on the upswing in various parts of the country.

Regardless, Turner will enter free agency without a potential suspension hanging over his head. Potential discipline seemed unlikely to affect his market much either way, but he’ll now move forward without any lingering uncertainty.

Latest On Justin Turner

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The coda to an unforgettably weird 2020 baseball season came when Justin Turner celebrated with his Dodgers teammates in the wake of a mid-World Series COVID-19 diagnosis. That incident led Major League Baseball announce a “full investigation into this matter” in a statement that flatly panned Turner for his recklessness.

Now, the league and MLB Players Union are “moving closer to a resolution” of the case from a disciplinary perspective, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (Twitter links). Just when we’ll learn of the outcome isn’t known; neither is it clear what range of punishment is under contemplation.

The league and union typically interact regarding disciplinary matters. There’s a reason that most PED or domestic violence-related suspensions are announced alongside the player’s decision not to challenge the result.

That was all the more necessary here. The league’s coronavirus protocols were jointly developed and obviously required significant buy-in from union officials and the players they represent. And Turner’s covid-shedding celebration presents a situation without any obvious precedent.

It seems we’ll have a final determination — and an opportunity for Turner to make some amends — before free agency begins in earnest (whenever that may be). Turner is one of the top available players on the open market this winter. It’s an open question whether and how the surreal scene will impact his free agency.

Justin Turner Tests Positive For COVID-19

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2:30pm: Major League Baseball announced that it will conduct an investigation into Turner’s violation of health-and-safety protocols and implied that he could be disciplined. The league’s press release reads:

Immediately upon receiving notice from the laboratory of a positive test, protocols were triggered, leading to the removal of Justin Turner from last night’s game. Turner was placed into isolation for the safety of those around him. However, following the Dodgers’ victory, it is clear that Turner chose to disregard the agreed-upon joint protocols and the instructions he was given regarding the safety and protection of others. While a desire to celebrate is understandable, Turner’s decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came in contact with at risk. When MLB Security raised the matter of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to comply.

The Commissioner’s Office is beginning a full investigation into this matter and will consult with the Players Association within the parameters of the joint 2020 Operations Manual.

MLB’s release adds that nasal swabs of the Dodgers’ entire traveling party were conducted, and the league again tested both the Dodgers and Rays this morning. Their travel back to their home cities is pending approval based on the results of those tests.

Oct.28, 8:30am: Turner joined his teammates on the field after the game, celebrating with the Commissioner’s Trophy and taking part in the team photo.  According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, “league officials, league security personnel and some Dodgers officials spoke with Turner, asking him to remain in isolation” in the wake of his positive COVID-19 test, but Turner “was adamant about wanting to join the celebration.”

Speaking about Turner after the game, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman told reporters “I think the people who were around him were the people that would be in the contact tracing web anyway, which is how closely a lot of us have been around each other.  Now I think subsequent tests we’re going to take are really important to figure out what we do and to make sure any of us that are potentially positive do not spread it to other people.”

In regards to Turner’s positive result, his Monday test was inconclusive, which the league didn’t learn until the second inning of Game 6 due to a delay in receiving the results.  The league then asked for a quick turn-around for Turner’s test from yesterday, and when that test showed COVID-19 positive, the Dodgers were informed and Turner was taken out of the game.  Since “inconclusive results are not uncommon,” Rosenthal said league officials were hesitant to immediately remove Turner from the game without confirmation.

Oct. 27: The Dodgers just knocked off the Rays to win their first World Series since 1988, but the victory did come with some bad news. Third baseman Justin Turner exited the Dodgers’ Game 6 win early because of a positive COVID-19 test, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times was among those to report. The Dodgers replaced Turner with Edwin Rios in the eighth inning.

First and foremost, the hope is that Turner will overcome the illness. The 35-year-old had another great regular season for the Dodgers, batting .307/.400/.460 with four home runs in 175 plate appearances, before totaling three playoff HRs and hitting .320/.346/.720 in the World Series.

As we head into the offseason, it’s unclear whether Turner will play for the Dodgers again. He’s set to enter the winter as one of the top infielders available in free agency, so there should be plenty of interest in him if he’s healthy.

Injury Notes: Mariners, Twins, Reds, Dodgers

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Mariners outfielder/infielder Dylan Moore is done for the season as a result of a concussion, the team announced. Moore suffered the injury when he took a pitch off the helmet on Monday, ending what was a terrific campaign for the 28-year-old. Moore batted .255/.358/.496 with eight home runs and 12 stolen bases over 159 plate appearances in 2020.

  • Twins right-hander Jake Odorizzi will “probably” be on their wild-card series roster, per manager Rocco Baldelli (via Do-Hyoung Park of MLB.com). Odorizzi has been on the IL since Sept. 19 with a blister on his right middle finger. This is the third IL stint of the year for Odorizzi, who previously dealt with back and chest issues. As a result, the Twins – who gave him a $17.8MM qualifying offer last winter – have only gotten 13 2/3 innings of 6.59 ERA pitching from Odorizzi this season. Nevertheless, they’re on their way to a second straight playoff berth.
  • Reds left-hander Wade Miley, on the IL with a shoulder strain since Aug. 28, is “pretty close to 100 percent,” according to manager David Bell (via Bobby Nightengale of the Cincinnati Enquirer). The playoff-contending Reds are likely to use Miley out of the bullpen if he is able to return this year, Nightengale relays. Signed to a two-year, $15MM contract last winter, Miley has made four starts and thrown 12 1/3 innings of 6.57 ERA ball in a Cincinnati uniform. Fortunately for the team, its rotation has still been among the league’s best because of the work of Trevor Bauer, Luis Castillo, Sonny Gray and Tyler Mahle.
  • The Dodgers scratched third baseman Justin Turner from their game against the Athletics on Tuesday because of left hamstring discomfort, Ken Gurnick of MLB.com tweets. The Dodgers said the move was precautionary, but it’s worth noting that Turner missed a couple weeks earlier this month with a left hamstring strain. So, this latest issue could be a concern for the Dodgers as they approach the playoffs.

Dodgers Activate Justin Turner From Injured List

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The Dodgers have activated Justin Turner from their 10-day injured list, the team announced.  Right-hander Josh Sborz has been optioned to the alternate training site to create an open roster spot.

Turner was enjoying another productive season when he was placed on the IL (retroactively) on August 29 with a left hamstring strain.  Turner has a .282/.384/.410 slash line and two home runs over 138 plate appearances, and while his slugging percentage is down from its usual standard, Statcast metrics indicate Turner is in the 92nd percentile in XSLG and is making as much hard contact as ever.

Looking bigger-picture, some good numbers over the season’s last two weeks would also help bolster Turner’s case going into free agency.  Turner turns 36 in November and thus isn’t a candidate for a truly long-term contract, though there isn’t much evidence he is slowing down.  Despite the Dodgers’ crowded infield situation, one would think that L.A. would still be interested in another new contract with Turner given the team’s obvious regard for his ability and their love of roster depth.

With Turner back, the Dodgers now have their full complement of position players healthy as they head towards another postseason berth.  Turner is expected to resume his regular spot at third base, though it wouldn’t be a surprise if Los Angeles gives him a few extra DH days to ease him back into action.

NL Injury Notes: Pham, Smyly, Turner, Pirates

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Padres outfielder Tommy Pham is less than a month out from a broken hamate bone, but he’s making rapid progress. Pham resumed live on-field batting practice today, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports on Twitter. The 32-year-old had been off to a sluggish start to the year but will still have some time to make his presence felt as the Pads try to angle for postseason position.

More injury updates from the National League …

  • The Giants are preparing to welcome back southpaw Drew Smyly tomorrow, manager Gabe Kapler tells reporters including John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle (via Twitter). It’ll be interesting to see what the veteran hurler can deliver down the stretch. Though he hasn’t been available for many innings, he turned in a few interesting outings that hinted at a resurgence.
  • While there’s little reason to rush, the Dodgers are close to activating rehabbing third baseman Justin Turner. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters including Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register (Twitter link) that Turner still hasn’t put his tender hamstring through the full paces. Nevertheless, the club expects to have him active within the week, though Turner could initially function as a DH.
  • The Pirates provided a few pitching rehab updates, some more promising than others (via MLB.com’s Adam Berry, on Twitter). Mitch Keller (side injury) and Jameson Taillon (Tommy John) are each throwing sim games, while reliever Keone Kela is now participating in mound work. It’s still unclear how much MLB action each of those hurlers will be capable of late this year, but that’s generally encouraging news. The situation is different for fellow righty Yacksel Rios, who remains sidelined by shoulder woes. He was shut down after symptoms flared up.

Dodgers Place Justin Turner On 10-Day IL

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The Dodgers announced that they’ve placed third baseman Justin Turner on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Aug. 29, with a left hamstring strain. They activated infielder Edwin Rios and left-hander Alex Wood (post) from the IL in other moves.

The Dodgers have gone without Turner since he exited their game against the Rangers last Friday with the injury. Hamstring problems can often lead to lengthy absences, though manager Dave Roberts has said Turner only suffered a “low-grade” strain.

The loaded Dodgers, owners of baseball’s best record, should be able to carry on without Turner for however much time he misses, but they’ll obviously want him healthy when the playoffs roll around. The 35-year-old has enjoyed yet another high-quality season, having slashed .282/.384/.410 with a pair of home runs in 138 plate appearances.

With Turner on the shelf for the past few days, the Dodgers have relied on Max Muncy to man the hot corner. Muncy got off to a rough start this season, but his production has trended in the right direction of late. Rios could also be an option at third, where he has seen action in five games this year. He came out of the gates quickly this year before landing on the IL on Aug. 17 with a left hamstring strain of his own.

Dodgers, Turner Hadn’t Discussed Extension Prior To Transaction Freeze

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Justin Turner is in the final season of his four-year, $64MM contract with the Dodgers, but the star third baseman tells Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times that he hasn’t discussed a contract extension with the team yet. Extension talks are prohibited while the league is under a transaction freeze, but it’s nevertheless notable that they’d not yet broached the topic of a new contract when such negotiations were permissible.

Turner missed some time back in 2018 due to a fractured wrist and a hamstring strain but has mostly avoided the injured list in recent seasons. While he’ll turn 36 in the offseason, he’s been nothing short of excellent at the plate. Given all the star power up and down the Dodger lineup, it’s easy for Turner to get lost in the shuffle. Over the past three seasons, he’s posted an outstanding .307/.397/.519 batting line with 62 homers, 87 doubles and a triple. He’s been one of the toughest players in the league to strike out in that time — just 13 percent — while drawing a walk in just over 10 percent of his trips to the plate. Since 2017, the only qualified hitters in baseball with a better OBP are Mike Trout, Joey Votto, Juan Soto, Aaron Judge and Christian Yelich.

The Dodgers have some internal options. Edwin Rios and Chris Taylor are both capable of playing third base, and on a speculative basis, Corey Seager could slide over with Gavin Lux taking over at shortstop. Max Muncy has also appeared in at least 30 games at the hot corner in each of the past two seasons.

On the one hand, Turner’s outstanding offensive production and the relatively short-term commitment he’d command due to his age make a reunion a sensible pursuit for the Dodgers. Then again, the club pursued Anthony Rendon this winter with an eye toward Turner changing positions, so perhaps the preference is to lock in a younger third base option with better defensive contributions. (Turner once rated as a premium defender but has seen his numbers deteriorate a bit in his mid-30s.)

[Related: 2020-21 Free Agent Third Basemen]

If Turner ultimately reaches the open market, he’ll be among the best bats available in free agency, although he spoke fondly of the Dodgers when chatting with Castillo. “Obviously there’s a possibility that there’s no season and my Dodger career could’ve ended last year in the playoffs, which would be tough,” said Turner. “It would be sad. Sad to think about.”

Health Notes: Judge, Lowrie, Alvarez, Turner

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Strap in for a very mysterious batch of health updates from spring training…

  • Aaron Judge’s health status seems to be unknown to just about everyone right now. Bryan Hoch of MLB.com spoke today with Yankees general manager Brian Cashman, who said that Judge is going through a “car wash” of tests. “He’s obviously going through a series of tests,” Cashman said. “It’s not like one or two, it’s a number approaching seven to 10 total, so they can make sure they have a full evaluation and determine what ails him. When they’re complete, we’ll either be able to tell you we’re in the clear or we’ll be able to tell you that we have a full diagnosis and the timeframe and everything else like that.” Stay tuned.
  • As if trying to outdo Cashman in providing non-answers, Mets infielder Jed Lowrie gave this update about his own status to Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. “I have to refer you to the organization.” After referring to the organization via general manager Brodie Van Wagenen, DiComo still got no timeline. Though Van Wagenen did say they are looking into a “transitional” brace to help him get on the field. Lowrie appeared in just nine games for the Mets last year. And it’s unclear if he’ll be able to top that in 2020.
  • Astros outfielder Yordan Álvarez will sit out “three or four days” because of “knee soreness,” according to Matt Young of the Houston Chronicle. Astros manager Dusty Baker says that they’re “going to try to take it easy on him for at least three days.” This is potentially worrying for Astros fans because, as Young notes, Álvarez was playing through similar knee issues last year, although they didn’t stop him from producing Rookie of the Year-winning numbers.
  • And finally, the clearest news of the bunch: Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was hit by a pitch on the back of his hand, but the X-ray came back negative (Twitter links from Ken Gurnick). If you need any more evidence of Turner being fine, he hit a home run between the HBP and the X-ray.
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