New York Mets Reportedly Wanted Trea Turner... As a Center Fielder

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Mets were "deadly serious in their interest in Trea Turner to play center field."

Agreeing to terms with free agent Carlos Correa on a 12-year, $315 million contract, and planning to have the shortstop play third base wasn't the only creative move of the offseason that the New York Mets considered, according to the New York Post's Jon Heyman.

Per Heyman, the Mets were "deadly serious in their interest in Trea Turner to play center field."

Turner instead signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Philadelphia Phillies to remain at shortstop.

Turner likely received better offers as a shortstop, than the Mets would have offered him to change positions.

Turner played 45 games in center field for the Washington Nationals in his rookie season in 2016, before becoming the club's everyday shortstop. He has not played an inning in the outfield since.

Turner did switch positions midway through the 2021 Major League Baseball season, when the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired Turner in a trade from the Nationals. With Corey Seager in the final year of his contract, the Dodgers kept Seager at short, moving Turner to second base. Turner returned to his natural position for all of 2022, and this winter, he sought a contract where he would be paid like a shortstop, which he received from the Phillies.

Had the Mets signed Turner, they likely would not have retained Brandon Nimmo, who signed an eight-year, $162 million contract to remain with the Mets earlier this winter.

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