Turner wanted to talk extension with Nationals but 'it didn't happen' originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington
During the MLB trade deadline last week, Washington Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo decided it was best to think about the future rather than make additions to the team. As a result, Rizzo dealt veteran players to restock the Nationals farm system, including Trea Turner, who went to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Turner, who is relatively young at 28, could've realistically been part of this rebuild and be a building block like Juan Soto. However, it seems as though contract talks never reached a point where both sides were happy with a potential extension.
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The former Nationals shortstop spoke about the contract extension talks he had with the team, and Turner stated that he envisioned himself playing in Washington for 20 years. However, Rizzo didn't see the discussions heading in that direction and ultimately decided to include him in a deal with Max Scherzer to LA.
"The last two weeks have been weird because I go back and forth — oh, they're not gonna trade me, oh yep, they are ... you kind of got to be prepared for whatever," Turner said.
"I said I would talk about an extension whenever and waited for that to happen, and it didn't happen, so I've been told a lot of things over the last two years, and for me, actions speak louder than words," he added.
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MLB reporter Jon Heyman tweeted a few days ago that the last contract extension offer that the Nationals put on the table for Turner was in March 2020. The team had a six-year deal worth about $100 million, but Turner never put pen to paper on that contract.
Heyman adds that people within the Nationals organization suggested publicly and privately that they planned to make another contract proposal last spring but ultimately didn't. With Turner a free agent after next season, Rizzo likely felt it was best to deal the shortstop.
