TURNER WILL ‘RUN IT BACK’ WITH L.A.

Justin Turner is returning to the Los Angeles Dodgers, announcing via Twitter on Saturday night that he’s ready to “run it back” with the World Series champions.

The 36-year-old third baseman batted .307 with four homers, 23 RBIS and an .860 OPS during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.

He hit .320 with two homers during the World Series before being pulled from the deciding Game 6 after testing positive for the coronavirus. He infamously broke protocol by returning to the field after the final out and removed his mask near teammates during the celebration. MLB decided against punishing him.

Turner became a free agent when his $64 million, four-year deal with the Dodgers expired after the World Series. He earned a prorated $7,037,037 of his $19 million salary in 2020.

Various reports had Turner accepting a twoyear, $34 million contract with a team option for a third season. Turner is also expected to receive an $8 million signing bonus.

A late-bloomer after overhauling his swing in his late 20s, Turner has been an anchor in the Dodgers’ lineup for most of their eight straight NL West titles. The red-headed slugger hit .302 with 116 homers over seven seasons in Los Angeles.

Tebow in Mets’ camp

Tim Tebow has been invited to big-league spring training by the New York Mets, taking one of 75 spots after MLB limited spring roster sizes as a coronavirus precaution.

The 2007 Heisman Trophy winner returned to baseball in 2016 for the first time since his junior year of high school and played 77 games at Triple-a in 2019 before the pandemic wiped out the 2020 minor league season.

A lefty-hitting outfielder, the 33-year-old Tebow batted .163 with four homers and 19 RBIS two years ago with Syracuse. He’s been invited to major league spring training each of the past four years and has hit .151 in 34 games, connecting for his first and only homer last spring before camps were closed.

Two winners, one loser

St. Louis pitcher Jack Flaherty and Atlanta pitcher Mike Soroka won their salary arbitration cases, and Tampa Bay reliever Ryan Yarbrough lost.

Flaherty was awarded a raise from from $604,500 to $3.9 million. The Cardinals had submitted $3 million.

Soroka was given a raise from $583,500 to $2.8 million. Braves had argued for $2.1 million.

Yarbrough received a raise from $578,500 to $2.3 million rather than his request for $3.1 million.

Players and teams have split six decisions. There are four hearings remaining.

Notable

The Mets’ pitching staff took a hit before the start of spring training when the team announced that Seth Lugo needs elbow surgery and will miss the start of the season. An MRI revealed a bone spur in the righthander’s pitching elbow. Mets medical director Dr.

David Altchek will operate Tuesday. The 31-year-old Lugo was 3-4 with a 5.15 ERA in seven starts and nine relief appearances during the shortened 2020 season.

The Diamondbacks agreed to a $1.75 million, one-year deal with veteran infielder Asdrubal Cabrera. The 35-year-old is a twotime All-star who was with the Nationals in 2020, batting .242 with eight homers and 31 RBIS.

Matt Harvey will try to revive his career with the Orioles. The 31-year-old right-hander agreed to a minor league contract with the Orioles. He would get a $1 million, one-year contract if added to the 40-man roster, and would have the chance to earn performance bonuses.

Outfielder Jay Bruce agreed to a minor league contract with the Yankees and will try to win a job at big-league spring training. The 33-year-old has an opportunity as a left-handed bat in a primarily right-handed lineup.

Pitchers Rich Hill and

Collin Mchugh agreed to one-year contracts with the Tampa Bay Rays. Hill, a 40year-old left-hander who has pitched for nine other teams over portions of 16 major league seasons, agreed to a deal worth $2.5 million.