The Los Angeles Dodgers had nine players hit the open market when free agency officially began Thursday morning. Though, that also marked the start of a five-day period where teams are allowed to exclusively re-sign their free agents.
Matters are relatively clear for the Dodgers this offseason. Re-signing Kenley Jansen and Justin Turner are of the utmost importance, with retaining Rich Hill not far behind. Jansen is one of a few elite closers available, while Turner is the best option among free-agent third basemen.
Similarly, Hill at least sits near the top of a relatively weak class of starting pitchers who are no longer under contract.
While it won’t unfold as such, the DodgerBlue.com staff was posed with the challenge of selecting which free agent they would re-sign if only one option was available.
Matthew Moreno (@MMoreno1015)
Like everyone else, my decision came down to selecting between Jansen and Turner, and I ultimately elected to go with Turner.
Yes, he’s turning 32 years old later this month, but Turner has more than proven his value since joining the Dodgers in 2014 on a Minor League contract. In 386 games over the past three seasons, he hit .296/.364/.492 with 81 doubles, 50 home runs, 193 RBI and a 136 OPS+.
Last postseason, Turner’s 10 hits were the most ever for a Dodgers player in a Division Series and the most by a Dodger in any postseason series since Steve Garvey’s 10 hits in the 1981 World Series. In addition, Turner’s six doubles set a Dodgers record for most in any postseason series.
This year, Turner extended his streak to 15 consecutive postseason games reaching safely, which set a franchise record. There simply isn’t an easy answer to filling that production.
A trade is of course a possibility, that presumably would involve parting with prospects the Dodgers have worked to develop with an eye on the future.
With Jansen, the Dodgers could sign Aroldis Chapman or Mark Melancon, and receive at least similar results.
Jeff Spiegel (@JeffSpiegel):
Jansen.
Look, I Justin Turner — and it’s a tough decision between the two (good thing the front office doesn’t have to choose!), but after watching the 2016 playoffs this decision becomes easier.
As good as Turner is, he’s three weeks from 32 years old and seems to be at a more-replaceable position than Jansen given their talents (although neither position is easily replaceable).
After seeing how Jansen, Chapman and Andrew Miller were used over the past month, it’s clear that the closer position is going to become more and more important. With that in mind, having one of the three best in baseball — Jansen — will be even more important.
This season, Jansen had his best year — posting a 1.83 ERA and 1.44 FIP, with a 3.2 WAR.
On top of all this? Chapman is the only other realistic alternative.
Matt Borelli (@MattDodgerBlue):
If the Dodgers were to only re-sign one of their free agents, it should be Turner.
I chose Turner over Jansen, because there are multiple elite relievers that the Dodgers could replace him with (should he depart), including Chapman, Greg Holland (when healthy), Melancon, and potentially Wade Davis in a trade.
Not only is Turner the lone All-Star caliber third baseman available, but he’s probably the best overall infielder to reach free agency as well.
If he were to sign elsewhere, it would leave a significant hole in the Dodgers lineup — not to mention they would also be losing a terrific defender.
One of the few plausible alternatives would be to acquire Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria in a blockbuster deal, but that would require giving up prominent prospects while retaining Turner would only come at a financial cost.
Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand):
Ideally the Dodgers re-sign both Turner and Jansen, but if I had to choose one over the other, I would select Jansen. Elite Major-League closers are hard to come by, and Jansen is one of just a few.
He also proved this postseason that he wants to be the guy with the ball in his hand when it matters most. Whether it be for one inning or three, and if the Dodgers want to win a World Series they need that type of reliever.
Also, Jansen’s cutter is one of the best pitches in all of baseball, and as we saw with Mariano Rivera, that’s all you need to be dominant. Turner is a great player, but he is 31 years old and has an injury history.
Another reason I believe the Dodgers need to re-sign Jansen is that the Giants will most likely pursue him as they desperately need a closer. The thought of seeing Jansen wearing orange and pitching against the Dodgers makes me want to vomit.
