Although Max Scherzer was possibly only a rental at the time the Los Angeles Dodgers completed their blockbuster trade with the Washington Nationals in 2021, Trea Turner figured to be with the team for at least one more season beyond that.
Turner reached free agency for the first time in his career and did so as part of an star-studded group. He was accompanied on the open market by fellow All-Star shortstops Xander Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson.
Turner was first to sign, joining the Philadelphia Phillies on an 11-year, $300 million contract. The Dodgers, Chicago Cubs and San Francisco Giants were among the teams with reported interest.
As the 29-year-old found success in his second year with the Dodgers, he noted playing as an impeding free agent came with challengs, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“Yeah, I think this year mentally was definitely different, a little tougher – I feel like every day you’ve got something on the line – even though you really don’t, but you do. I just tried to keep telling myself that if I can have some fun, enjoy it then that stuff would take care of itself. I think it has. I think this year has been pretty good overall. I definitely feel like I could play better in all facets really. But for the most part, looking back, I think it’s been a pretty good year for me individually.”
Turner, who recently reflected upon the 2022 season, had a solid year for the Dodgers that saw him set career highs in doubles (39) and RBI (100) while hitting for a .298 batting average.
After signing with the Phillies, Turner thanked Dodgers fans and was the brunt of a friendly jab from Walker Buehler.
Trea Turner didn’t enjoy free agency
Although free agency was lucrative for Turner, the process wasn’t something he particularly enjoyed.
“I didn’t enjoy it very much,” Turner admitted during his introductory press conference with the Phillies. “It’s a tough process. It’s hard on you and hard on your family.”
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