Not necessarily a backup plan to Alex Bregman, but after losing out on him the Cubs have pivoted to veteran hitter Justin Turner, reportedly signing the two-time all-star and World Series champion to a free agent deal.
The Athletic's Patrick Mooney was first to report on Tuesday that the two sides were close to an agreement.
The Chicago Cubs are close to an agreement with Justin Turner, a source briefed on the negotiations told The Athletic. Turner, 40, is a highly accomplished hitter who wants to play in Chicago and will bring extensive playoff experience to the club.
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) February 18, 2025
ESPN 1000's David Kaplan and Bleacher Nation's Michael Cerami confirmed the signing a few minutes later.
Justin Turner to the Cubs is done. Per me and @Michael_Cerami More on @ESPN1000 at 9:00 a.m.
— David Kaplan (@thekapman) February 18, 2025
Turner, who turned 40-years-old in November, has still been good at the plate in the later stages of his career. In 2024 he played for the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners. The right-handed hitter ended the season with a 117 wRC+, slashing .259/.354/.383, and after Turner was traded to the Mariners he raised his numbers to the tune of a .766 OPS with a slash line of .264/.363/.403.
Mooney reports that it's a $6 million deal for Turner.
Source: The Chicago Cubs are finalizing a one-year, $6 million agreement with Justin Turner, adding a solid, established hitter as part of their post-Alex Bregman pivot. https://t.co/gfwc4r7zwm
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) February 18, 2025
Turner will now serve as a great bench bat for the Cubs, while also having the ability to backup Michael Busch at first base.
(Previous Update)
According to The Athletic, the Chicago Cubs have talked about signing veteran free agent Justin Turner. The 40-year-old is coming off another solid year at the plate, posting a 117 wRC+ with the Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners in 2024.
The interest by the Cubs in Turner is framed around the team's pursuit of top free agent Alex Bregman. You can't really qualify Turner as a backup option to Bregman, but more so that the Cubs can still add quality players if Bregman does not choose the Cubs in free agency. Turner can be a solid bench bat and provide backup insurance at the corner infield spots behind Michael Busch at first base and Matt Shaw at third.
Via The Athletic.
The Chicago Cubs, continuing to explore options even after the start of their spring training, are considering free agent Justin Turner as a potential addition in case Alex Bregman signs with another team, multiple league sources told The Athletic on Monday.
Turner and his wife Kourtney, who is from Indiana, are intrigued by the idea of spending the summer in Chicago, league sources said. Going to Wrigley Field as a Cub would complete a sort of big-market circle for Turner, who already has played for the Red Sox, Dodgers and New York Mets during his 16-year major-league career.
The Cubs have been interested in Turner for a few years, but the veteran has eventually signed one-year deals with the Boston Red Sox and Blue Jays following his nine-year run with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The right-handed hitter saw his slugging numbers dip a bit in 2024, as Turner only had 11 home runs in 539 plate appearances.
However, Turner maintained a strong walk rate above 10% and ended the 2024 season with a slash line of .259/.354/.383. After he was traded to Seattle Turner posted a .766 OPS in 48 games, slashing .264/.363/.403, with five home runs.
So, maybe this public interest in Turner by the Cubs makes sense. He fits the roster nicely, but this might also be the Cubs trying to get Bregman to make up his mind about whether or not he's signing with the Cubs. It wouldn't make much sense for the Cubs to sign both, so they need to know if they should move on from Bregman and sign Turner before Turner signs with someone else.
Who knows what Bregman wants at this point, but if we look at the Cubs current bench situation in the infield, you can see why Turner would be a solid pickup. Let's say Shaw does earn the starting job at third base, the other bench options are Jon Berti, Vidal Bruján, Nicky Lopez and Gage Workman. Berti is the best out of that group, while the rest haven't proven much at the plate and Workman hasn't even played above Double-A.
