Justin Turner Calls Out His 2024 Team For "ABSURD" Offseason

Justin Turner, the 40-year-old veteran of 16 MLB seasons, spent the last part of the 2024 campaign with the Seattle Mariners. The team spent last season with the best pitching staff in baseball, but a moribund offense, and missed the playoffs. They've done nothing to address that discrepancy this offseason, and Turner has decided to call them out.

In an interview with Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Turner, who was not re-signed by the Mariners this winter, called the M's reluctance to add offense, "absurd".

I told them several times this offseason, you have a unicorn of a pitching staff...
The fact that they missed the playoffs by one game, and didn’t go out and add an impact bat or two when you have the best pitching staff in baseball just seems absurd to me.
Honestly, as much as I wanted to be back there, if I was the only piece they brought back in, I would be saying the same thing: What the hell are we doing? Are you trying?

Seattle's pitching staff was untouchable last season. They finished 2024 tied for the best ERA in baseball (3.49), 1st in opponents WHIP (1.08) and 1st in batting average against (.220).

But on offense? The M's finished 29th in the majors in batting average last season (.229), 22nd in OPS (.687), and 25th in slugging (.376).

Yet they didn't make a single contract offer to any of the big bashers on the free agent market this offseason, from Juan Soto to Pete Alonso to Alex Bregman, or anyone else. Their only signings were Jorge Polanco, re-signed to a one-year, $7.8 million deal, and Donovan Solano, to a one-year, $3.5 million contract.

“I thought Alonso was a slam dunk," said Turner. "How can you not go after him? You kidding me?" Alonso was very gettable, as the Mets played hardball with him, and he only signed a couple of weeks ago. First base is a position of dire need for the team.

As for Turner, he signed a contract with the Chicago Cubs for 2025, so he won't be at risk of having to face any retribution from the Mariners.

He hit .264 for them in 48 games after coming over from the Toronto Blue Jays at the trade deadline. He had a .766 OPS and a 128 OPS+.