Oct 7, 2016; Washington, DC, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner (10) is greeted by shortstop Corey Seager (5) after hitting a two run home run against the Washington Nationals in the third inning during game one of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at Nationals Park. Photo Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Justin Turner is staying put.
The free-agent third baseman is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers, agreeing to a four-year, $64 million deal, multiple media outlets reported Tuesday.
A utility man for most of his eight-year major league career, Turner emerged as a star in 2016, finishing ninth in National League Most Valuable Player voting. His power numbers — 27 homers, 90 RBIs — were career highs, and he matched his top slugging percentage at .493.
After never playing more than 126 games in a season, Turner appeared in 151 games this year.
Turner remained hot in the postseason, hitting .286 with two homers and eight RBIs in 11 games as the Dodgers reached the National League Championship Series.
Turner, 32, was drafted in the seventh round by the Cincinnati Reds in 2006, but he broke into the majors with the Baltimore Orioles in 2009. The New York Mets claimed him off waivers in May 2010. He signed as a minor league free agent with the Dodgers in February 2014, then re-signed on one-year deals in 2015 ($2.5 million) and 2016 ($5.1 million), avoiding arbitration each season.
In 704 career games, Turner has a .282 average, a .348 on-base percentage, a .439 slugging percentage, 58 homers and 282 RBIs.
