After what seemed like an eternity for Dodger fans but was actually only a little more than a week, the Dodgers officially announced the re-signing of Dodgers free agent third baseman Justin Turner to a four-year/$64 million contract.

“We are extremely happy to announce that Justin Turner will remain a Dodger for years to come,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman. “JT has been, and will continue to be, a vital part of the Dodgers on the field, in the clubhouse and in the community. His talent, work ethic, leadership and instincts for the game embodies a lot of what we look for in a Dodger player.”

Turner brings back a much needed right-handed power bat to the Dodgers.
(Photo credit – Ron Cervenka)

There is little argument that the popular 32-year-old Long Beach, California native was the most sought after third baseman in this year’s free agent market and it came as a surprise to no one that several teams were courting him – several quite aggressively. But even in the early stages of the process the Dodgers made it known that they wanted Turner back and Turner that he wanted to remain with the Dodgers.

“I’m excited to return to the Dodgers for another four years,” said Turner. “Playing in Los Angeles has been special for me, and I want to continue to represent and give back to this community and bring our fans the championship they deserve.”