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Despite being 39, third baseman Justin Turner presented one of the most viable options on the 2023 free agency market. Although the Mets were considered a top contender to Turner, the two-time All-Star has chosen to seek a contract elsewhere.
On Jan. 30, it was announced that Turner would sign a deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, who are looking to replace departed third baseman Matt Chapman. The news comes as a blow to the Mets, who were hoping to add some depth to their infield.
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For New York Mets fans, the news comes as a blow. The highest-spending team in MLB last year, the Mets have consistently been striking out when it comes to inking big names this offseason. Fans are beginning to take things as a brutal indictment of their team.
Owned by billionaire financier Steve Cohen, the Mets were long seen as a top candidate to sign Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto to make his MLB debut.
However, dreams of that kind were dashed on Dec. 28, when the three-time NPB All-Star inked a 12-year, $325 million deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Still without a big name at third base of in the DH role, things are looking increasingly grim for the Mets.
Now that Justin Turner is off the table, it looks increasingly likely as though the team will need to rely on the 24-year-old Brett Baty at the hot corner in 2024. Through 108 games last season, Baty only managed .212/.275/.323 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs.
After the dissapointing season, the Mets parted ways with manager Buck Showalter as well as GM Billy Epplier.
In their place,former Milwaukee Brewers GM David Stearns was brought in as the new president of baseball operations. Despite Stearns' multiple attempts to land a big signing, he continues to come up empty.
Failure to sign Justin Turner serves as damning indictment of Mets' appeal
One does not have to go back very far at all to witness a time when players were practically falling over each other to sign a big-money deal with the Mets.
Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander were signed to the largest contracts in MLB history in 2021 and 2022 respectively. After both were traded, the Mets have had serious problems attracting talent.
With Justin Turner now out of the conversation, the Mets will need to get real about adding talent or be prepared to suffer a potential repeat of 2023.
