After taking over the everyday third base job for the Los Angeles Dodgers in May, Justin Turner completed the best season of his seven-year Major League career.
He is slated to once again be the team’s starter at third base in 2016, but not without first tending to his contractual status.
The 31 year old was part of the six players on the team who filed for salary arbitration on Tuesday.
The procedural move came more than one month after the Dodgers tendered the group of players contracts.
This is the third year Turner has been arbitration-eligible.
The New York Mets now-infamous decision to non-tender him after the 2013 season paved the way to Turner signing a Minor-League deal that included a non-roster invitation to Spring Training with the Dodgers.
Just as the two sides did last year, the Dodgers and Turner avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year contract, according to Jon Heyman:
Justin turner, dodgers agree at $5.1M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 15, 2016
Turner played in 126 games last season, batting .294/.370/.491 with 16 home runs, 60 RBIs and posting a 3.9 WAR.
He carried that success into the postseason when he was the Dodgers’ best hitter, going 10-for-19 (.526 batting average) with six doubles and four RBIs in five National League Division Series games.
Turner is coming off microfracture surgery on his left knee, but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.
Arbitration hearings for players who do not agree to a new deal will be held in February in front of a three-person panel.
