Pittsburgh Pirates: Justin Turner Speaks Highly of PNC Park

Multi-time All-Star Justin Turner took to Twitter to say some great things about PNC Park, could the Pittsburgh Pirates consider pursuing him in free agency to fill their need at first base?

The Pittsburgh Pirates still have many holes on their roster, with the main one being at first base, but they may have just found a possible candidate for that position. Justin Turner is coming off an impressive 2023 campaign with the Boston Red Sox, in which he hit 23 home runs and batted .276 in 146 games. He has the ability to be an above-average defender at first base, while also possibly taking time at second, short, third, and DH.

On November 3rd, 2023, it was announced by the Red Sox that he could decline his 2024 player option in favor of a $6.7 million buyout, which makes him a free agent now.

Recently, on Twitter/X, Turner tweeted, “Where is my favorite place to play?” He responded with, “Without a doubt, PNC is my favorite place to visit! Food, casino, walkable to the park, and the atmosphere can feel like a football game! And the view, 7 pm, sun is setting, the city backdrop is glowing!”

This put into question if he would ever want to play in Pittsburgh, with him making even more comments about the Pirates, saying, “When the Pirates are good, and the stadium is popping, the atmosphere is off the charts!”

Justin Turner would fill many holes in the Pirates’ infield and would make them a more competitive team, but what would a contract look like for the 38-year-old? In 2023, Turner had a bWAR of 2.1, with a bWAR usually valued at about $7M. Realistically, you could see him sign for anywhere from $7 to $20M, depending on the teams interested in him.

The Pirates would have some competition, as it was previously reported that the Arizona Diamondbacks, who went to the World Series last season, are interested in him. His future is uncertain, but his recent tweets give many hope that he could become a key piece in the 2024 Pirate season, which is filled with tons of promise.