MLB rumors: Surprise team emerges in Trea Turner chase

MLB rumors now link free agent Trea Turner to a surprising team — the Seattle Mariners.

Trea Turner is one of this offseason’s biggest free agents. He is in a free agent class of shortstops with plenty of talent yet he seems to stand out more than the others thanks to how many different things he can do so well. MLB rumors about where he could land include many of the usual suspects we expect to spend big. What about those surprise clubs?

According to MLB insider Jim Bowden, a surprise team has emerged in the sweepstakes for the star shortstop. The Seattle Mariners, eager to make as many transactions as possible as Jerry Dipoto typically desire, are in the chase for Turner.

https://twitter.com/JimBowdenGM/status/1594376432465027073

As Bowden notes, it’s not just Turner they’re after. They could look at Kolten Wong or Gleyber Torres as second base options. Turner isn’t a second baseman, though. What could the plan be for him?

MLB rumors have linked the Mariners to free agent Trea Turner

The Mariners shortstop situation at the moment could be better. J.P. Crawford continues to play defense well, but his bat leaves a lot to be desired. He’s certainly replaceable. Moving him could be difficult, however, due to a contract set to pay him $45 million over the next four seasons.

Bowden has already predicted the Mariners will end up with Dansby Swanson as their starting second baseman. It’s one of the more “out there” predictions. Would Swanson settle on playing second base when he can still play the more premium position of shortstop?

Turner’s market is a hot one. He’s coming off of a 21 home run season that also included 100 RBI. The fat numbers came while leading the league with 708 plate appearances. It’s the second time in his career he led the league in this category.

Based on the early action this winter, we can expect the Mariners to appear in some more surprising MLB rumors. They finally got a taste of the postseason in 2022. It now appears they’re looking to make a stride forward.