The Los Angeles Dodgers may shudder to think where they would be without Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner, but they might soon find out. The duo was among the nine Dodgers who became free agents after the morning after the Chicago Cubs won the World Series.
Turner signed with the Dodgers on a Minor League contract prior to the 2014 season, and played his way into an everyday role. Turner spent his first season with the Dodgers in a utility role, then became more of a regular starter in 2015.
That forced the Dodgers to trade Juan Uribe, and Turner, after avoiding arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $5.1 million, became the unquestioned third baseman this season.
Jansen put together another dominant campaign, earning All-Star Game honors for the first time in his career. This season the converted catcher became the franchise all-time leader in saves.
Predictably, Jansen and Turner both rejected the one-year, $17.2 million qualifying offers, per Jon Weisman of Dodger Insider:
As expected, Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner today declined the qualifying offers made by the Dodgers a week ago, leaving them free to negotiate deals with any team — including the Dodgers.
Jansen had 47 saves in 53 appearances to go along with a 1.83 ERA, 1.44 FIP and 0.67 WHIP, while striking out 104 and walking 11 in 68.2 innings. Jansen recently won the Trevor Hoffman Award, which is given to the National League’s best reliever.
In 386 games over three seasons with the Dodgers, Turner hit .296/.364/.492 with 81 doubles, 50 home runs, 193 RBI and a 136 OPS+.
Should Jansen and/or Turner ink a deal with another team, the Dodgers will receive a compensation pick for each in the 2017 Draft. Conversely, Los Angeles will have to forfeit their first, non-protected (top 10) pick in the 2017 Draft should they sign a player who rejected a qualifying offer.
Only Jeremy Hellickson (Philadelphia Phillies) and Neil Walker (New York Mets) accepted the qualifying offer this year.
