Red Sox nearly traded one of their best hitters to Marlins before deadline

When the Miami Marlins struck out on landing Turner, they continued their push for a power bat who could play one or both corner infield spots and landed two of them: Jake Burger from the Chicago White Sox and Josh Bell from the Cleveland Guardians.

"What the Red Sox would have received in return for Turner is not known. But for president of baseball operations Chaim Bloom to again consider disrupting his clubhouse in the middle of an encouraging season, the package must have been enticing. The Marlins are deep in controllable starting pitching, precisely what Bloom was seeking to acquire at the deadline," the report said. "Why would the Red Sox even consider moving Turner, who could become a free agent if he declines his $13.4 million player option for next season, when his value to them extends far beyond his 17 home runs and .837 OPS? It’s just the way modern front offices operate, gauging values of players, setting a bar for a return and generally acting if a potential trade partner exceeds that standard."

The 38-year-old former longtime member of the Los Angeles Dodgers has turned out to be the best move from a flurry of questionable decisions that the Red Sox brass made last winter. Among the notable names that Boston let walk over the offseason are San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts and Texas Rangers starting pitcher Nathan Eovaldi, while one of the team's key pickups was Corey Kluber, who was recently shut down from baseball activities while rehabbing in the minors.

Turner, meanwhile, leads the Red Sox in runs scored (66) and is tied with superstar Rafael Devers for the team lead in games played (102). He also ranks second in hits (112), home runs (17), RBI (71), walks (39) and total bases (188) to go with a solid .286/.356/.481 slash line.

One thing's for certain, Boston would likely be further outside of the playoff picture if it weren't for Turner's contributions this season. The Red Sox are in fourth place in the AL East at 57-51 but sit just 2.5 games behind the Toronto Blue Jays (60-49) for the third and final wild-card berth.