FINAL GRADES: Justin Turner Was Veteran Presence Seattle Mariners Needed
The Seattle Mariners have a lot of different ways they can improve in the offseason. In the 19 days since the regular season ended, fans and media alike have been putting together potential trade and free agent targets.
But the best free agent option for the Mariners might be a player that was in the clubhouse for the second half of the season.
Seattle traded for 16-year veteran Justin Turner on July 29 from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Turner was used in a first base/designated hitter role. He split time with Luke Raley at first and mainly played the field when the Mariners faced left-handed pitching.
Turner was the perfect example of a veteran player in a clubhouse. He received praise from Seattle President of Baseball Operations Jerry Dipoto at the end of the season.
"The veteran leadership we found in Justin Turner is special," Dipoto said on Sept. 28. " ... He's like a hitting coach in a player's uniform who understands situations and conveys that to the other guys in the field. That's been a big gift for us. And I think that's a priority for us in the office, is maintaining that type of leadership in our clubhouse."
Looking at what Turner did in the last two months of the year with the Mariners, it's not hard to understand why he received the praise he did from Dipoto.
Justin Turner by the numbers
Games played: 139 (48 with Seattle)
Hitting stats: .259 BA, 11 HRs, 55 RBIs, 59 Runs, 24 Doubles, 59 BB, 95 SOs, .354 OBP, .383 SLG, .737 OPS, 1.5 WAR
Defensive stats: 295 TC, 4 Errors, .986 Fielding
Base running stats: 0 SB, 2 CS, 25.4 MPH Sprint Speed
Advanced hitting stats: 117 wRC+, 10.2 BRAA, 4.6% Barrel, 32.5% Hard-Hit, 25.1% Chase, 17% Whiff
Advanced defensive stats: -1 Range (OAA), 73.7 MPH Arm Strength
What I liked
There's a lot of intangible reasons why Turner was such a valuable player for Seattle.
The veteran presence that Dipoto mentioned was a big reason why. That experience in the clubhouse (World Series experience nonetheless) gave the team a solid voice on several levels.
They had Edgar Martinez as the hitting coach, Dan Wilson as the manager and Turner helping out his teammates in the dugout.
In terms of his individual play, Turner was exactly the complete player the Mariners hoped for when trading for him.
From Sept. 4-29, Turner reached base safely in 21-of-22 games. He batted .295 in September and was walked 16 times (two of them intentionally).
Justin Turner crushes a game-tying home run in the 8th! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/NpasnXPp5j
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) September 19, 2024
Turner was a patient batter. Even during at-bats where he didn't get a hit or a walk, he would often run up the count against the pitcher he was facing. That helped the bottom of the order a lot, especially deeper into games.
Turner was also one of the best hitters the team had against breaking and off-speed pitches.
According to Baseball Savant, Turner hit just .218 against fastballs. In contrast to that, he hit .311 against sinkers, .253 against sliders, .342 against cutters, .250 against change-ups, .259 against curveballs, .192 against sweepers and .250 against splitters.
Turner's patience and ability to connect on the off-speed and breaking pitches was a huge benefit to Seattle, especially in his spot in the middle of the order.
Best game
Turner had a three-hit game with two home runs in a 5-4 loss against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 31. That was probably his best individual game.
But maybe the best showcase for Turner, which also served as a precursor to things to come, happened in his first game at T-Mobile Park with the Mariners.
In Turner's first home game since being acquired by Seattle on Aug. 2 against the Philadelphia Phillies, Turner went 2-for-4 with a home run. That homer was a grand slam and Turner's first long ball with the Mariners.
Welcome to Seattle, @redturn2! #TridentsUp pic.twitter.com/dFomZkZUXL
— Seattle Mariners (@Mariners) August 3, 2024
Turner also had several solid games that weren't nearly as flashy as the two aforementioned ones. But they were just as valuable in the grand scheme of things.
Future prospects
Turner is a free agent.
The 2020 World Series champion guaranteed before the end of the season that he would be back for his age-40 season in 2025. It's just a matter about which team he would play for.
There's a very good chance that the Mariners bring back Turner and continue the first base platoon with him and Raley for 2025. But there's a good chance Seattle has more competitors for Turner's services.
There's an argument to be made that Turner was the engine of the Mariners' offensive resurgence in the last month of 2024. He might get some potential suitors from several contenders around the league.
Turner is estimated to earn a one-year, $7.7 million deal on the free agent market according to Spotrac.
At that cost, even teams with high payrolls could be possible candidates for Turner's services.
And a reunion between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Turner might be what keeps the soon-to-be 40 year-old from returning to the Pacific Northwest.
Turner spent nine years with the Dodgers and won his ring there. Shohei Ohtani will be ready to start pitching again in 2025 and Los Angeles will need a designated hitter for days Ohtani is pitching.
Final grade: B
B: Turner earns a solid "B" grade for his 48-game stint with Seattle.
Turner's on-base streak at the end of the season was the best in the league in September. And he was exactly what you want a veteran presence to be.
Turner endeared himself quickly to Mariners fans and they welcomed him with open arms. The fact that he used Seattle-based band Soungarden's "Black Hole Sun" as his walk-up song helped.
After a walk-off fielder's choice in a 7-6 win against the Oakland Athletics on Sept. 28, Turner said the following in regards to returning to the Mariners in a postgame interview:
"I've talked to a lot of guys, and I've enjoyed my time here. I would love to be back and be a Mariner. And I guess when that time comes, we'll see what happens."
Veteran presence is important, especially for a club that's trying to become a contender.
Turner proved himself to be that veteran presence Seattle needs. If he's back in 2025, that will be a win by every metric.
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