Having made his big league debut back in September 2019, veteran Justin Turner is still going strong. The 2025 season was his 17th at the top level of baseball.
After his his mutual option with the Chicago Cubs was declined on November 6, Turner became a free agent. Consequently, many thought the 40-year-old may perhaps consider calling time on his major league career.
As insider Jon Morosi reported via X on Monday, however, Justin Turner has no such plans.
•
“Free agent Justin Turner plans to play in 2026, according to his agent, Greg Genske. Turner, who turns 41 month, posted a .759 OPS against left-handed pitching for the Cubs this year.” Morosi posted
Reacting to the announcement, several fans left comments calling for Turner to hang up his cleats, feeling that the infielder had nothing more to offer at this point.
“Hang it up” a fan wrote
“He just needs to be a hitting coach at this point, great club house leader but it’s time to hang it up lol 😂😂” another fan commented
“Dude he’s a**” another fan replied
“If a team is going to pay me millions of dollars to be a little-used pinch hitter, DH and occasional infielder, why not play?” another fan shared
“That’s nuts.” another fan posted
Justin Turner looks for a fresh challenge in 2026
Since making his debut, Justin Turner has represented some of the biggest organizations in all of baseball. The Chicago Cubs, whom he spent the 2025 season playing for, were the seventh different team he has played for so far.
Ending the regular season with a .219 batting average, with only 3 home runs and 18 RBIs, 2025 was an extremely tough year for Justin Turner. With the Cubs opting to let him go, the veteran must now look for a fresh challenge in 2026.
Though his overall hitting stats do not inspire much confidence, Turner did enjoy plenty of success against lefties, delivered a solid .276/.330/.429 batting line in 109 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, and this may prove key in helping him secure his next contract.
Having earned $6 million in 2025, Turner will most likely have to take a significant pay cut for his next deal, owing to his age and diminishing consistency. As an affordable veteran who’s leadership skills and experience can prove extremely beneficial in the clubhouse, the 40-year-old will most likely have to settle for another one-year deal.
Edited by Raghav Mehta
Leave a Reply