LOS ANGELES -- The Dodgers have agreed to re-sign closer Kenley Jansenon Monday, and they are close to also retaining third baseman Justin Turner, according to a baseball source. The club has not confirmed.Jansen's deal would be five years at $80 million, with Turner taking four years and $64 million.
Chris Camello and Buster Olney of ESPN first reported on Turner, with follow-up details from MLB Network Insider Jon Heyman.
The Dodgers and Turner's agents, Legacy Agency, told ESPN's Jim Bowden that an agreement is not yet in place. Bowden and Ken Rosenthal added information on Jansen. With indications the Dodgers were hoping to keep their payroll below a $235 million luxury tax threshold, dishing out the two largest contracts in the Andrew Friedman era is a surprise.
But the need to keep both players is obvious, as the club doesn't have in-house replacements ready for either.Jansen, the National League Reliever of the Year, earned his first All-Star selection in 2016, when he also rewrote the Dodgers record book, supplanting Eric Gagne as the franchise's all-time saves leader while tying for second in MLB with 47 saves.
Jansen was second among NL relievers with a 1.83 ERA, limiting opponents to a .150 batting average, the best in MLB, as was his 0.67 WHIP. He struck out 104 with only 11 walks.After Mark Melancon signed with the Giants and Aroldis Chapman with the Yankees, Jansen was left with two suitors beyond the Dodgers -- the Marlins (with former manager Don Mattingly) and the Nationals (who lost Melancon).
Unlike the bidding for Jansen, the Dodgers have always been favored to re-sign Turner, who lives in nearby Orange County and has found a professional home with the Dodgers, who signed him three years ago after he was non-tendered by the Mets.Although Turner is the most accomplished third baseman in this year's third-base class, he hasn't been seriously linked to any club other than the Dodgers.A clubhouse leader who has emerged as an offensive force, Turner, who recently turned 32, had a slash line of .275/.339/.493 and set career highs in runs (79), hits (153), doubles (34), triples (three), homers (27), RBIs (90) and games played (151) coming off knee surgery.
He finished ninth in NL MVP Award voting.Turner was particularly good against right-handed pitching (.305, with 22 homers), and hit .325 with runners in scoring position and .300 with runners on base, even though he was slow to get started as he recovered from the surgery.
Defensively, while Turner couldn't dislodge Colorado's Nolan Arenado for the NL Gold Glove Award at third base, he committed only nine errors and ranked fourth among NL third basemen with a .972 fielding percentage and first in Total Runs Zone.
Ken Gurnick has covered the Dodgers for MLB.com
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