Report: Cardinals interested in Justin Turner
The St. Louis Cardinals already employ a third baseman in Jhonny Peralta, but they may be looking for an upgrade heading into next season.
St. Louis is showing interest in free-agent third baseman Justin Turner, reports Jon Morosi of FOX Sports.
The 32-year-old Turner is the top third baseman available on the open market after hitting a career-best 27 home runs and 90 RBIs in 2016, slashing .275/.339/.493. He would be an upgrade both offensively and defensively over the 34-year-old Peralta, who has one year and $10 million remaining on his contract.
2016 Stats
| PLAYER | PA | HR | RBI | OPS | DRS | WAR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Turner | 622 | 27 | 90 | 832 | 7 | 5.6 |
| Jhonny Peralta | 313 | 8 | 29 | 715 | -1 | -0.5 |
One reason the Cardinals are interested in Turner is because they were MLB's sixth-worst defensive team at third base, Morosi notes. Turner, who posted a 14.1 UZR for the Los Angeles Dodgers last season, could fix the issue.
The Cardinals could have competition from the Dodgers, though, and he likely won't come cheap. He's expected to find a multi-year deal worth more annually than the $5.1 million he earned in 2016.
Over eight big-league seasons, Turner owns a career slash line of .282/.348/.439 with 58 home runs and 282 RBIs.