MLB Free Agency 2017: 5 potential teams for Justin Turner

As the hot stove heats up, and we head into MLB free agency, Justin Turner will be a big name to watch.

Turner rejected a qualifying offer from the Dodgers and is opting for free agency. This makes a lot of sense for him. Turner is now 31 years old and is coming off of two of his most productive seasons. In 2015, he hit .294 and in 2016 he hit 27 home runs and finished in eighth in the MVP voting. If there were ever a time to cash in, now would be it. With that said, who would be best suited to sign Turner, and what would the best fits be?

Here are the potential teams to sign Justin Turner…

San Francisco Giants

The Giants are right on the doorstep of being a championship team. Stealing Turner from their division rival could turn similarly to the Chicago Cubs stealing Jason Heyward from the Cardinals.

The Giants are a pretty stout team, but there is a hole at third base. The team traded Matt Duffey during the trade deadline and added Eduardo Nunez, who is best served as a utility player. Conor Gillaspie had some big moments, but he is not a starter quality player. Last season, Gillaspie and Nunez combined for 151 games played last season and posted a combined WAR of 2.1. Turner played in 151 games for the Dodgers and had a 5.6 WAR.

Turner is a great buy for the sake of winning now in San Francisco. This team has been adamant that they are continuing to push to win the World Series every year. It showed in their signing of Johnny Cueto last season. They have to know that they cannot walk into the next season with Gillaspie or Nunez starting at third base, and it is the biggest hole on the team. The Giants should be major players for Turner.

Aug 9, 2016; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; San Diego Padres third base coach Glenn Hoffman (30) greets first baseman Wil Myers (R) after Myers hit a solo home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the eighth inning at PNC Park. The Pirates won 6-4.Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Padres

In the similar form of stealing from the division rival to bring yourself a step closer, the Padres could be a wild card to spend on a player such as Turner. We have seen this team try to make big splashes before, and in this scenario, they would not be giving up prospects.

Last season, the team relied on Yangervis Solarte to play third base for them. They also used him primarily in the cleanup position. Solarte was fine, but especially considering where the Padres needed him in the lineup, Turner would be a big upgrade. Solarte played a decent amount of second base last season as well. He has played first base and each corner outfield position in his career, and given where the Padres roster is, they can find playing time for him.

The Padres can slot in Turner right behind Wil Myers in the middle of the order. They can slide Solarte down in the order and all of the sudden the Padres one through five in their batting lineup have legitimate talent and upside.

The Padres are a young overall roster. Players such as Travis Jankowski and Manuel Margot made a presence last season and it brings optimism for the future in San Diego. Adding a veteran and a winning locker room player is a smart get. It keeps the locker room from falling apart and makes the Padres a very respectable ball club in 2017.

Nov 2, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Indians starting pitcher Corey Kluber throws a pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning in game seven of the 2016 World Series at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Indians

The Indians were right on the doorstep of winning a World Series in 2016. To take another step towards getting back to that game, they could look to make a big move in adding Justin Turner. Turner would be a great fit and would be arguably the biggest free agency acquisition the Indians could make.

In 2016, the Indians started with Juan Uribe at third base. Uribe was suspended midway through the season due to the league’s substance abuse policy. At his age, ability and now his out of the clubhouse issues, it is unlikely that Uribe will be playing baseball in 2017. Jose Ramirez stepped in and was a huge addition to the offense last season. He hit .312 and stole over 20 bases.

However, Ramirez was originally designated as a utility type of player and even played 48 games in left field last season. Ramirez gave the Indians a much bigger spark at the plate than he did in the field last season. He is a player who will have to stay in the lineup, but in no way does it have to be at first base.

With Michael Brantley having some injury questions, Tyler Naquin potentially playing over his head last season, and some other questions in the outfield, it is not like Ramirez would not be a welcome addition. He could be the most consistent outfield performer the Indians have this year. Therefore, in adding Turner, it almost feels like the Indians can get better at two different spots.

Turner gives the Indians big time flexibility in the middle of the lineup. Depth was a major factor in helping the Indians make a run this season, and adding depth and versatility to the lineup would be key to bringing the Indians back to the big show.

Sep 27, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson (2) reacts after striking out in the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Turner Field. The Braves won 7-6. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Braves

The Braves took a year or two off from competing to tear down their roster and build it back up. They got rid of a ton of veteran names and used those names to go for as many prospects as they could acquire. It is the right way to rebuild in the MLB and it has the Braves a lot closer to prominence than some teams that sit in the middle of the pack for years.

However, in 2017 it appears that the Braves are interested in competing again. Or, at least starting to climb out of the bottom. The team acquires Matt Kemp at the trade deadline last season. They then added old veterans R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon to the pitching staff in the off-season.

Their big name prospects, Dansby Swanson, Ozzy Albies and Sean Newcomb are expected to make impacts on the MLB roster this season, so it looks to be a smart move to add in long time veteran presences to set a right tone in the clubhouse. Losing is fine when you are building up a roster, but it can be lethal if it affects a young up and comers mentality.

This makes Turner a solid fit. Swanson and Albies will likely field the middle infielder slots, and with Freddie Freeman as the heart of the team at first base, they are a third baseman away from having a complete infield on paper. Turner can provide similar clubhouse help that guys like Dickey and Colon can provide, and gives Freeman protection in the lineup he has not had for years. The Braves may not be fully back to prominence, but adding a player like Turner is a big step in doing so.

Oct 18, 2016; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kenley Jansen (74) pitches during the eighth inning against the Chicago Cubs in game three of the 2016 NLCS playoff baseball series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Dodgers

Let’s get real here. There are some solid destinations for Turner to go to, and many teams will be interested, but in all likelihood, Turner will be back in Dodger blue this year. Turner did turn down a qualifying offer, but that does not mean that he has any interest in leaving, or that they have no interest in him.

The Dodgers need Turner. That is in part why the extended the offer to him. This is an ownership that wants to spend money to win now. They have a stud pitcher in Clayton Kershaw and they know that every year without a World Series is a year that they wasted the aces talents. At this point, the Dodgers would be starting Rob Segedin at third base. They do not currently have a third base prospect ready to step in for 2017 either.

On the other side, Turner may not even want to leave Los Angeles. In turning down his qualifying offer, he turned down a one-year deal. Turner, wanting to strike while the iron is hot, knows that he can get longer financial security by turning it down. Turner can go to other teams and essentially get a quote as to what his worth is in the league. He can give those numbers back to the Dodgers and tell them to match or beat those deals.

Also, with the Dodgers putting the qualifying offer out there for Turner, it means that any team that wants to sign Turner would also have to trade a draft pick. So while he is a free agent, it is not as “free” as some of the other players on the market. So, when adding up that every team has to spend more than the Dodgers to add Turner, that the Dodgers have admitted that they want, and need Turner and that Turner is a solid fit, and a player who may not want to move, the Dodgers are still the easy leaders in the clubhouse to be the team in which Turner plays for in 2017.