December 03, 2022

MLB rumors: Competition heats up for shortstop Trea Turner

The San Diego Padres have reportedly met with Turner already this offseason.

By Shamus Clancy
PhillyVoice Staff

It feels like a formality that the Phillies will sign a big-name shortstop in free agency this offseason. There was Friday's report that the team will meet with all of Trea Turner, Carlos Correa, Xander Bogaerts and Dansby Swanson before the MLB Winter Meetings. Signs point to the Fightins being in on Turner, but they're not the only team interested in his services.

The San Diego Padres, the squad the Phils eliminated in five games in October's National League Championship Series, have met with Turner as well, according to a report from The Athletic's Dennis Lin and Ken Rosenthal.

Here's an excerpt from that report:

Whether the Padres can outbid other teams with clearer needs at shortstop remains to be seen. San Diego, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Tuesday, also has expressed interest in another top free agent, Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts is expected to land a deal approaching or exceeding $200 million. But Turner, a candidate for possibly $300 million, appears to be the Padres’ preference.
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The Padres already have two shortstops in Fernando Tatis Jr. and Ha-Seong Kim, two $300 million players in Tatis and Manny Machado, and more obvious positional needs they could address with significantly less capital. Meanwhile, several other clubs are firmly in the market for a marquee free-agent shortstop. According to The Athletic’s Jayson Stark, for instance, the Phillies have scheduled meetings with Turner, Bogaerts, Carlos Correa and Dansby Swanson. [The Athletic/$]

Lin and Rosenthal also indicate that the Padres and Turner have met twice already this offseason.

San Diego would be in "sign good hitters and figure out where they play defensively later" territory, an approach that had the Phillies in this year's Fall Classic. If you can't beat the Phils, you might as well copy them.

I will say that the Padres courting Turner only for him to sign in Philly would be a hilarious turn of events given the way the Phillies smashed them in the NLCS. As those weirdo Padres fans would say, "That's what's in."