Let’s be brutally honest here – at 35 years old and in the final year of his current four-year / $64 million contract, Southern California native and huge fan-favorite Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner‘s days in Dodger Blue are probably numbered.

Now this most assuredly isn’t to suggest that the Long Beach, CA native and seventh-round draft pick by the Cincinnati Reds in 2006 out of Cal State Fullerton whom the Dodgers signed as a free agent on February 6, 2014, doesn’t still have plenty left in the tank, it is merely to say that unless he is willing to accept a short-term contract and/or is willing to give the Dodgers a significant hometown discount, the 60-game COVID-19-shortened 2020 season could be his last in LA.

Could.

During his Zoom press conference on Monday afternoon, relatively new Dodgers utility infielder/outfielder Edwin Rios, who has appeared in a grand total of 28 major league games with the Dodgers (12 at first base, five at third base, one in left field, and the remainder as a designated or pinch hitter), told reporters that his preferred defensive position is third base, although he made it very clear that he doesn’t really care where he plays, as long as he plays.

“I try not to look at it that way,” Rios answered when asked which position he feels the most comfortable and confident at. “I try to be best at all three of my positions – first, third, and left. I work the hardest at third just ’cause that’s where I want to be of all three, knowing that I have work to do, and I put in the work and feel like I have been getting better every year.

“But I mean, I would say third just because I feel like that’s where I put most of my work in, that’s where I want to be great at, so I’d say third.”

Although the sample size is ridiculously small, in his five games as the Dodgers third baseman in 2019, Rios made one error in six total chances for a .833 FPCT (compared to Turner’s .967 FPCT in 1,622 total chances at the hot corner over his 11-year MLB career). However, in his 12 games as the Dodgers’ first baseman in 2019, Rios did not make an error in 49 total chances for a perfect 1.000 FPCT. The difference, of course, is that Dodgers (almost) everyday first baseman Max Muncy isn’t going anywhere for a while; if you get my drift.

Defense aside, it is Rios’ bat, not his glove, that has put – and keeps – the 26-year-old Caguas, Puerto Rico native very prominently on the Dodgers radar.

During his five minor league seasons after having been selected by the Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft out of Florida International University in Miami, Rios slugged 95 home runs in 1,670 at-bats, while posting an excellent .295 / .348 / .539 / .887 slash line. He is, however, prone to striking out a lot, as are most power hitters; and make no mistake about it, Edwin Rios is a power hitter.

In 1,840 minor league plate appearances, Rios struck out 514 times while walking 128 times. His best minor league season came in 2019 when he slugged 31 home runs in 393 at-bats while striking out 153 times and walking 37 times with the Dodgers Triple-A affiliate Oklahoma City Dodgers, prompting his June 27, 2019 call-up to the big league club. In his 47 at-bats with the Dodgers in 2019, he hit four home runs, including a monster 473-foot blast against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on September 25 – the longest home run of the season by a Dodger. 

Although Turner will undoubtedly get the lion’s share of playing time at third base during the (hopefully) 60-game 2020 season, he will certainly ‘need a blow’ (as they say) every few days, and Rios appears to be his most likely replacement. That being said and with the National League utilizing the designated hitter for (at least) the 2020 season, Rios seems to be the most likely candidate … although you will probably never hear Dodgers manager Dave Roberts say this with a stable full of power hitters.

Play Ball!

  *  *  *  *  *  *