Justin Turner agrees to $6 million, 1-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, AP source says

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Justin Turner has agreed to a $6 million, one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs, according to a person with direct knowledge of the situation, giving the team additional infield depth.

Turner can earn an additional $2.5 million in bonuses, according to the person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because the contract was pending a physical.

The addition of Turner would give the team some security at third base should Matt Shaw need more seasoning in the minors. The 23-year-old Shaw has been slowed by a left oblique issue in spring training.

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said on Tuesday he couldn't confirm any transactions, but acknowledged that adding a veteran position player is something the team pursued.

“Theoretically, I think it's important to fortify the roster in any way possible,” Hoyer said. “You always think about what things can go wrong, how to get better at each area, and I think that's kind of how we spent the end of this offseason.”

The 40-year-old Turner also could back up Michael Busch at first base and go into the lineup at designated hitter. Turner played for Toronto and Seattle last year, batting .259 with 11 homers, 55 RBIs and a .354 on-base percentage in 139 games.

“He’s been a really good player for a long time, and I think that he’s someone that we can really learn a lot from,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “Just his experience, and he’s just such a pro at what he does. ... He’s somebody that you definitely want to have on your team.”

The Cubs pivoted to Turner after pursuing Alex Bregman in free agency. They were in the mix for the two-time All-Star before he agreed to a $120 million, three-year deal with the Red Sox last week.

Chicago is looking to make a playoff push after it went 83-79 last year and finished second in the NL Central for the second straight season. It hasn't made the playoffs since it was swept by Miami in the wild-card round in 2020.

Turner fits an offseason pattern for the Cubs after they added outfielder Kyle Tucker and relievers Ryan Pressly and Ryan Brasier — all World Series winners. Turner is a .270 hitter with 13 homers and 42 RBIs in 86 career playoff games, all with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I’ve been a fan of his for a long time,” Cubs outfielder Ian Happ said. “The way he plays the game, I think he’s a natural hitter. His ability not only to drive the baseball, but, situationally hit. The swing, the way he thinks about hitting and all that stuff I think will be an asset for us.”

Turner made his major league debut with Baltimore in 2009. He is a .285 hitter with 198 homers, 814 RBIs and an .821 OPS in 1,678 games, also playing for the Mets and Red Sox.

Also Tuesday, the Cubs announced they had agreed to a minor league contract with right-hander Chris Flexen that includes an invitation to big league camp for spring training. The 30-year-old Flexen went 3-15 with a 4.95 ERA in 30 starts and three relief appearances for the White Sox last year.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb