How Turner's experience can play a pivotal role during position battles 

DUNEDIN, FLA. -- The month-long game of musical chairs has begun.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette can settle into their recliners and kick their feet up, but second base, third base and the bench jobs that will support those positions aren’t nearly as clear. That’s by design on a roster that could roll out 100 lineups over 162 games.

Let’s pull up an extra chair for the simple parts first. Justin Turner will play some third base, where he took ground balls Monday, and he’ll back up Guerrero at first, but the majority of his days should still be spent in the DH spot. It’s a smooth, straightforward fit on a team that Turner is suddenly a crucial piece of.

“There’s a lot of guys who can move around the infield and play a lot of places,” Turner said. “Obviously, Bo is going to be at short and Vladdy will be at first, but when you look at the rest of the guys and the ability to be flexible, move around and play good defense, there’s a reason this team won a Gold Glove for their team defense last year. I’m excited to be a part of it.”

Turner shared Monday that some members of the Blue Jays approached him during the 2023 season, telling him that he should come to Toronto as a free agent in the winter. He heard Bichette’s words, too, when the star shortstop named Turner as someone he’d like to see the Blue Jays target while appearing on Sportsnet 590 The FAN’s ‘Blair and Barker’.

Third base feels like Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s position to run with, but Kiner-Falefa can play every position on the diamond. He might even have an umpire’s mask in his bag, just in case. Santiago Espinal is another option at third, but he’s fighting for a roster spot, and Cavan Biggio can list the hot corner on his long resume of positions. Biggio and Davis Schneider figure to make up the majority of reps at second base, at least early in the season, but Schneider could also see some time in left field. And we haven’t even gotten to the top prospects yet.

The “buts” start piling up quickly.

Orelvis Martinez, the club’s No. 2 prospect with some of the best power in the organization, is focused on second base now and could kick the door down any day. Addison Barger can play third and right field. Leo Jimenez can play a true shortstop and deserves a much larger share of this conversation. Don’t forget Damiano Palmegiani, either, the best candidate to be the 2024 version of Schneider, a breakout prospect who makes an impact at the plate.

On those Spring Training road trips, they might need a second bus just for the infielders.

“Hopefully we play some split-squads and can get everyone some reps,” manager John Schneider said. “You start with the guys who are your regulars and then work backwards, a little bit. There are guys who are competing for spots. They know they’re going to get plenty of reps and it could come on a variety of spots on the infield, but the at-bats are big, too.”

It’s such a difficult balance. There’s a strong argument to be made that the Blue Jays should roll out the group of Martinez, Barger and Jimenez as often as they can this spring and see who pops. For an organization in need of upside to get over the hump, that’s where it could come from.

Turner’s job is the easy part. He’s here to hit, pick up the glove every once in a while and be an example to this young wave of infielders coming behind him. He’s had those same examples to guide him since being drafted 18 years ago.

“It started in Baltimore. I had Adam Jones and Nick Markakis, who were awesome,” Turner said. “I got to the Mets and David Wright and José Reyes took me under their wing. Then, I came over to the Dodgers and walked into that clubhouse, there was just All-Star after All-Star everywhere I looked. Adrián González took me under his wing, then guys like Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke [did the same]. There were so many guys with really cool backs on their baseball cards. It was easy to learn how to be a professional.”

Now, Turner is the one with eyes on him, a dozen young players all watching to see what’s made him great. The crowd is a good problem to have for the Blue Jays, but there’s a complicated puzzle to put together before the music stops.