To this point the only free agent the Los Angeles Dodgers have re-signed is Blake Treinen, though there is a widely held expectation Justin Turner will eventually be brought back as well.
In addition to the Dodgers, Turner has been most frequently linked to the Toronto Blue Jays, who may no longer be in the running after signing George Springer to a six-year, $150 million contract.
Should L.A. re-sign Turner, it would eliminate a current void at third base and also double as a right-handed hitting position player that president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman identified as a focal point this winter.
That search has connected the Dodgers to the likes of Marcell Ozuna and Marcus Semien as well. There was some thought Semien was viewed as a potential fallback option at third base despite better profiling as a utility player.
According to longtime baseball insider Peter Gammons, one team official believes the Dodgers are poised to sign both Semien and Turner in free agency:
Response to bball man I asked about his team signing Marcus Semien, he replied “the Dodgers are going to sign Semien and Justin Turner.”
— Peter Gammons (@pgammo) January 19, 2021
The Dodgers’ reported interest in Semien was further corroborated by Jon Heyman of MLB Network:
Dodgers are among many teams in on the talented Marcus Semien
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 20, 2021
If the Dodgers were to sign both Semien and Turner, it presumably would mark the end of Kiké Hernandez’s tenure with the franchise. Of course, that was already appearing likely as it’s believed Hernandez is seeking an everyday role.
Semien wouldn’t bring quite the same level of versatility, but he could be an answer at second base along with filling in for Corey Seager and Turner, respectively.
Turner celebrates Lasorda
Despite still being a free agent, Turner and his wife Kourtney were among those on present at Dodger Stadium for a Tommy Lasorda Celebration of Life ceremony. Turner has regularly expressed his admiration and love for Lasorda, both prior to and since his passing.
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