MESA, ARIZ. – New Cub Justin Turner considered kicking off his first day of Cubs camp with a prank.
Knowing Nico Hoerner wears No. 2, and respecting his tenure in the organization, Turner said he never entertained the thought of negotiating for the number, which he’s worn since leaving the Dodgers. But having fun with it was a different story.
“I thought about messing with Nico and having the guys make a No. 2 jersey and walking out here today and just handing him a different number,” Turner said Thursday afternoon, sitting in the bleachers beside Field 1 at the Cubs spring training complex.
Instead, wanting to remain in the single digits, Turner embraced No. 3. His wife Kourtney joked that it referenced the three great Chicago athletes their seven-month old son Bo Jordan Turner was named after: Bo Jackson, Michael Jordan and now Justin Turner.
Turner’s one-year, $6 million deal was made official Thursday, after he agreed to terms earlier in the week. He joined infield drills and stayed behind to take extra batting practice as a squad of mostly backups headed to Glendale to open Cactus League play against the Dodgers. Turner said the timing of his first spring training game is “up in the air” but he’d “like to get in there as soon as possible.”
To make room for Turner on the 40-man roster, the Cubs designated outfielder Alexander Canario for assignment. The 24-year-old had made the most out of his limited opportunities, posting an .857 OPS in just 45 plate appearances over the last two seasons.
Canario was out of minor-league options, however, so the Cubs had to choose between putting him on the Opening Day roster, parting ways or exposing him to waivers. The outfield picture was already crowded, and adding Turner made the competition for bench spots even tighter.
Turner, 40, is entering his 17th MLB season. He began his career as a journeyman, before becoming a staple with the Dodgers. He earned All-Star selections in 2017 and 2021 and finished in the Top 15 in National League MVP voting three times — as high as No. 9, in 2016.
“The longevity just speaks to, this is a really smart baseball player,” manager Craig Counsell said. “You regress physically as you age – we all do – there’s no question about that. But his instincts for the game, instincts for hitting are elite. Those don’t go anywhere. If anything, they just continue to get better if you use it the right way. That’s why he’s able to stay in the league and be an effective player and be a good offensive player.”
Having spent nine years with the Dodgers, Turner also has extensive postseason experience. The 2017 NLCS co-MVP owns an .830 OPS in 86 playoff games.
Among Cubs fans, Turner is infamously remembered for the walk-off home run he hit off John Lackey in Game 2 of that NLCS, putting the Cubs in an 0-2 hole that they never climbed out of.
“My answer to that is, I’ve made a lot of outs against the Cubs, too,” Turner said. “But they only talk about that one swing.”
He’s been given plenty of grief about it over the years, every time he and Kourtney visit her hometown of Chesterton, Indiana.
Maybe this time with the Cubs is a chance to make it up to Cubs fans – an apology of sorts.
“I’m not apologizing,” Turner said with a smile.
That would go against his approach to the game. Even in free agency this winter, his top priority was the chance for another championship; he wanted to join a team with its sights set on the playoffs.
“I love playing, I love being around the guys, I love talking baseball,” Turner said, “but at the end of the day, it’s about winning.”
Turner’s market overlapped with that of veteran third baseman Alex Bregman, whom the Cubs also pursued. So, Turner couldn’t get the complete picture of his options until Bregman agreed to terms with the Red Sox last week.
“Unfortunately, it took a lot longer than everyone thought for Bregman to figure out where he was going,” Turner said. “But I think it all worked out perfect, and I’m right where I’m supposed to be.”