Justin Turner was apparently the one that got away from the Boston Red Sox.
Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reports on Wednesday that the Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman was “leaning towards” signing with the Red Sox in 2014 after he was released by the New York Mets.
“I think the last night before I was going to make a decision, the Dodgers jumped in with an offer. The next morning is when I made that decision,” Turner was quoted as saying. “I think the main reason the Dodgers was the choice was because they’re in the National League.
“The type of player I am, I knew I’d get more opportunities and at-bats in the National League than I would in the American League,” he continued. “It was a tough decision trying to choose between the Red Sox and Dodgers.”
Of course, Turner broke out upon his arrival in Los Angeles and has batted .309/.382/.507 with 60 home runs and 230 RBIs in his four seasons there. This year, he leads the MLB in batting average (.377) and on-base percentage (.473) and was just selected for his first career All-Star team.
Meanwhile, third base remains something of a black hole for the Red Sox. While they continue to pursue other potential upgrades at the position, all they can do otherwise is shake their heads and wonder what might have been.
*Stats courtesy of Baseball Reference*
