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Justin Turner 2023 Player Outlook: Veteran Provides New Team With Reliable Bat
2 years agoBoston Red Sox infielder Justin Turner has some fantasy relevance as he prepares for his first season with his new club. The 38-year-old played in 128 games last season, staying healthy for the first half of the campaign before being hindered by an abdominal strain in August. He posted respectable numbers, slashing .278/.350/.438 with a .313 BABIP, 123 wRC+, 9.4 BB%, and 16.7 K%. Most notable was that Turner's power declined; he went from slugging 27 homers in 2021 to just 13 in 2022. As Turner embarks on the next chapter of his career in Boston, he should find himself slotted into the lineup as the designated hitter while making cameos at the corners if Triston Casas or Rafael Devers need a day off. From a fantasy perspective, Turner needs to maintain respectable power in order to have any fantasy relevance. Turner has an ADP of 269.0, so fantasy managers aren't making an enormous investment and therefore should not hesitate to drop him if he struggles out of the gate.
