Dodgers, Trea Turner avoid salary arbitration with 1-year deal, per reports

The Dodgers avoided arbitration with shortstop Trea Turner before the deadline to exchange salary figures, per multiple reports on Tuesday.

With five years, 135 days of major league service time, Turner will be eligible for free agency after the 2022 season.

He made $13 million last season.

Turner spoke with reporters at Camelback Ranch about his pending free agency during the first week of spring training, saying that he’d be open to a contract extension if the team wanted to talk, but characterized talks with the Dodgers to date as “nothing of substance.”

Turner had a breakout season last year, hitting .328/.375/.536 with 28 home runs and 32 stolen bases, including .338/.385/.565 after the Dodgers acquired him from the Nationals on July 30. Turner led the National League in batting average, hits (195), total bases (319), steals, and FanGraphs WAR (6.9), and finished fifth in National League MVP balloting.

MLB Trade Rumors projected a $19.8 million salary for Turner in 2022. Back in January, my guess for the Dodgers shortstop was $20.5 million.