Trea Turner’s free agency strategy screams Cardinals

Los Angeles Dodgers star shortstop Trea Turner is officially a free agent, and he seems likely to land with the St. Louis Cardinals.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Trea Turner is a hot target on the free agency market for 2023. Several teams are rightfully eyeing the talented shortstop, but of course, only one team can land him. Though he hasn’t given any hint where he may end up, the St. Louis Cardinals seem to be one of the most likely contenders.

Jon Heyman of the New York Post compiled a list of the top 30 free agents of 2023, in which he ranked Turner fourth and wrote, “Some think he prefers to go east, but he has said he liked Los Angeles and will consider all. Folks love him. Teams: Dodgers, Phillies, Cardinals, Red Sox, Cubs, Braves. Expert: $275M, 9 years.”

All teams listed would make sense, as they are all facing difficulty with their shortstops, whether it be others entering free agency or just simply not enough consistency at that position.

Jeff Passan of ESPN, however, shared a reel of Turner narrated by actor Jon Hamm, a St. Louis native, which could be a subtle hint as to where he’s going.

Hamm is a known die-hard Cardinals fan. He’s appeared at games in other ballparks wearing a Cardinals hat, and he’s even narrated the 2011 Cardinals World Series championship documentary. Of course, Hamm doesn’t have the final say of where Turner ends up, but the St. Louis tie seems almost too coincidental considering the Cards have been linked to him.

The Cardinals have also lost several veteran stars this season, which gives them a need for some more.

The Cardinals need stars to replace those who retired this season

St. Louis lost veterans Albert Pujols, Yadier Molina and Adam Wainwright at the end of the 2022 season. This was an emotional time for fans, but it wasn’t shocking as all came closer and closer to retirement. With the three gone, the Cards could stand to sign another star like Turner to create a new legacy on the team.

Turner would be a perfect candidate. He’s a two-time All-Star and has hit a career average of .302/.255/.487 for an OPS of .842. He was one of the best shortstops in 2022 with the second-best batting average (.298) among all shortstops in the league and third-best on-base percentage (.343), slugging percentage (.466) and WAR (6.3)

They also could use improvements at shortstop in general, and with the three stars gone, they have a lot of payroll cleared up to be able to offer Turner an enticing amount. The team is on the rise, and they could benefit heavily from signing Turner. Given the ties to St. Louis, it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.