According to Jon Morosi, of MLB Network, sources are confirming that the St. Louis Cardinals have emerged in the pursuit of free agent infielder, Justin Turner. Turner, who just turned 32 last week, has seen three solid seasons for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the past three years. In 2016, he emerged as one of the premier third basemen in the National League, submitting a slash line of .275/.339/.493 for an .832 OPS with 27 HR/90 RBI.
As Morosi notes in his tweet, the Cardinals would most likely have to be active on the trade front with Jhonny Peralta, who is currently slated as the team’s third baseman entering next season.
After Matt Carpenter made the transition to first base this off-season, theories about the Cardinals possibly pursuing Turner began to swirl. It appears as though these theories are coming to fruition now that the free agent period in MLB has fully opened. The Cardinals headed into the winter looking for possible upgrades to the bullpen, center field, and possible infield depth. After signing Brett Cecil to a 4-year/$30,500,000, it seems that the Cardinals are turning their attention to acquiring position pieces. If the Turner domino does fall, look for the Cardinals to actively shop possible trade chips for a center fielder instead of the free agent market.
