Justin Turner, who hit .276 and drove in 96 runs for the Red Sox this season, declined his option for 2024. Michael Dwyer/Associated Press
Justin Turner declined the $13.4 million player option with the Boston Red Sox and is now a free agent.
Turner was expected to opt out because he will receive a $6.7 million buyout, meaning the DH/first baseman is leaving only $6.7 million on the table. He’ll make more than that in free agency.
Turner will turn 39 on Nov. 23. The two-time All-Star enjoyed a nice season with Boston in 2023, batting .276 with a .345 on-base percentage, .455 slugging percentage, .800 OPS, 23 homers, 31 doubles, 86 runs, 96 RBI, 51 walks and 110 strikeouts in 146 games (626 plate appearances). He started 98 games at DH, 35 games at first base, seven games at third base and four games at second base.
He earned $8.3 million from Boston in 2023.
The Red Sox are interested in bringing back Turner and the two sides still could get a deal done in free agency.
Boston also declined pitcher Corey Kluber’s $11 million team option. This comes as no surprise after the righty posted a 7.04 ERA in 15 outings (nine starts) for the Red Sox in 2023. He missed the final 88 games of the season after Boston placed him on the injured list June 21 with right shoulder inflammation.
REDS: Cincinnati declined Joey Votto’s $20 million option for 2024, making the first baseman a free agent and possibly ending his career with Cincinnati after 17 seasons.
Votto will get a $7 million buyout, completing a contract that guaranteed $251.5 million over 12 seasons.
Votto will get a $7 million buyout, completing a contract that guaranteed $251.5 million over 12 seasons.
Cincinnati also declined its part of a $4 million mutual option with catcher Curt Casali, who gets a $750,000 buyout.
“At this point of the offseason, based on our current roster and projected plans for 2024, as an organization we cannot commit to the playing time Joey deserves,” General Manager Nick Krall said in a statement. “He forever will be part of the Reds’ family, and at the appropriate time we will thank and honor him as one of the greatest baseball players of this or any generation.”
Votto, 40, hit .202 with 14 homers and 38 RBI in 65 games this season. He didn’t play his first game until June 19, 10 months to the day after surgery on his left biceps and rotator cuff.
A six-time All-Star and the 2010 NL MVP, Votto has a .294 average with 356 homers and 1,144 RBI.
CUBS: Right-hander Marcus Stroman opted out of the final year of contract, giving up a $21 million salary for 2024.
Stroman, who signed a $71 million, three-year contract in December 2021, is 77-76 with a 3.65 ERA over nine seasons with Toronto, the New York Mets and Cubs. He earned $50 million under what became a two-year deal.
Stroman went from dominating the first three months this past season and making his second All-Star team to struggling through injuries the rest of the way. He finished with a 3.95 ERA in 25 starts and 27 appearances.
BREWERS: Veteran outfielder Mark Canha is on the move again, with the Milwaukee Brewers trading him to the Detroit Tigers rather than picking up his option for the 2024 season.
The Brewers acquired minor league pitcher Blake Holub in the deal.
Milwaukee was facing a Monday deadline on whether to pick up Canha’s $11.5 million team option for 2024 or pay a $2 million buyout. The Brewers instead dealt Canha to the Tigers, the second time he’s been traded this year.
Canha, who turns 35 on Feb. 15, helped the Brewers in their push for an NL Central title this year after they acquired him from the Mets at the trade deadline. The Mets received minor league pitcher Justin Jarvis in that deal and agreed to pay $3.26 million of Canha’s $3.5 million remaining salary for the year.
RANGERS: Left-hander Andrew Heaney exercised his $13 million player option to remain next season with the World Series champions, who also exercised a $6 million club option for right-handed reliever Jose Leclerc.
Heaney had a career high in wins by going 10-6 with a 4.15 ERA in 34 games (28 starts) in his first season for Texas. The 32-year-old started three of the five games he appeared in during the postseason, and his lone career playoff win came in Game 4 of the World Series against Arizona when he allowed one run over five innings.
With his 147 1/3 innings in the regular season, Heaney came up just short of the 150 innings that would have increased the value of his option to $20 million. There would have been a $500,000 buyout had Heaney not exercised his 2024 option.
Leclerc was 1-1 with four saves and a 3.29 ERA while appearing in 13 of the Rangers’ 17 playoff games. He was 0-2 with four saves and a 2.68 ERA over 57 relief appearances during the regular season. He would have gotten a $750,000 buyout if his option wasn’t exercised by the Rangers.
WHITE SOX: Chicago declined their $14-million option for next season on two-time All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson and bought him out for $1 million.
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