Shortstop Trea Turner and the Philadelphia Phillies agreed on an 11-year, $300 million contract Monday, but he could’ve gotten so much more from another team.
Philadelphia, which lost in the World Series to the Houston Astros, targeted Turner as the perfect complement to a lineup that already includes his former Washington Nationals teammate Bryce Harper, All-Star catcher J.T. Realmuto, slugger Kyle Schwarber and first baseman Rhys Hoskins. This team is now setup to make a return trip to the Fall Classic.
The deal, which includes a full no-trade clause and no deferred money, ties Turner to the Phillies through the 2033 season and is the 10th $300 million-plus contract in baseball history.
The San Diego Padres wanted him as well, which is why they offered Turner a guarantee of $342 million. The Padres’ offer to Turner was not only higher than the offer he accepted from Philadelphia but would have made Turner the highest-paid infielder in baseball.
The exact length of the contract is still unknown.
Once finalized, his deal with the Phillies will make the two-time All-Star the 10th player in MLB history to land a contract worth at least $300 million.
Last year, Turner hit .298/.343/.466 with 21 home runs and 27 stolen bases for the Los Angeles Dodgers, who had acquired him at the 2021 trade deadline along with ace Max Scherzer.
The Phillies just got a whole lot more dangerous.
