Justin Turner's ascendancy from utility infielder to top-10 MVP finisher has been one of the most unexpected surprises in recent seasons. The New York Mets non-tendered him after the 2013 season, even though he produced at a league-average rate in just more than 200 plate appearances. Terry Collins liked him, but there were reports that the Mets were upset with a lack of hustle and were perhaps turned off when he described himself as a hitter not "looking to walk." Maybe they were simply too cheap to give him the small raise he would have received in arbitration.

The Dodgers signed Turner as a free agent, and he has done nothing but hit since. He reaches free agency at age 32, after hitting .275/.339/.493 with 27 home runs in 152 games, numbers that look even more impressive when factoring in that he hit .235 with three home runs through May, after offseason microfracture surgery on his left knee. He placed ninth in the MVP voting, and with Yoenis Cespedes returning to the Mets, Turner, Dexter Fowler and maybe Jose Bautista are the impact bats who can play somewhere besides first base.

Contract estimates are for four years and $65 to $80 million. Although he has played second and short in the past, Turner's age and knee issues likely limit him to third base these days. His 2017 projection from the Steamer systems says more of the same: .284/.353/.466 and 3.6 WAR.

1. Los Angeles Dodgers

Given their current holes at both second base and third base, re-signing Turner, the team's No. 3 hitter most of the season, seems like a must.

The Dodgers insist that their business model is thriving so bringing back their third baseman is a possibility. However, Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times had a story the other day detailing their debt and reporting that the Dodgers' plan to reduce the payroll from nearly $300 million in 2015 to something closer to $200 million by 2018. The team's payroll in 2016 was around $265 million, and Baseball-Reference estimates the current 2017 payroll is $193 million.

That figure doesn't include Kenley Jansen, also a free agent the Dodgers would like to re-sign. It doesn't include adding a veteran second baseman, starting pitcher or right-handed outfielder. All that means that re-signing Turner might not be a sure thing, given the demand he'll bring.

2. St. Louis Cardinals

Are the Cardinals interested in Turner? Maybe, maybe not, at least based on Tuesday's tweets from Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Mark Saxon of ESPN:

#Cardinals interest in Turner, his market, if he's a fit for them dates back to beginning of offseason https://t.co/iX2iwGq9p5 via @stltoday — Derrick Goold (@dgoold) November 29, 2016

FWIW I was told a few weeks ago that the #STLCards didn't see Justin Turner as a fit — Mark Saxon (@markasaxon) November 29, 2016

The Cardinals rarely spend big in free agency, and after giving $80 million to Mike Leake last season and seeing him post a 4.69 ERA, they might be reluctant to splurge again. They have options for third base, including Jedd Gyorko and Jhonny Peralta, and that's assuming Matt Carpenter moves to first base. Their infield has several possibilities right now:

1B: Carpenter, Matt Adams

2B: Kolten Wong, Gyorko

3B: Gyorko, Carpenter, Peralta

SS: Aledmys Diaz, Gyorko

The Cardinals might wish to instead spend their money on an outfielder. Stephen Piscotty, Randal Grichuk and Tommy Pham would be the current starters, with Wong possibly in the mix as well. Other than possibly Fowler, however, there isn't a free-agent outfielder who can match Turner's value.

3. San Francisco Giants

Giants third basemen -- mostly Matt Duffy and Eduardo Nunez -- ranked 29th in the majors in wOBA last season. Duffy was traded for Matt Moore, and Nunez, who made the AL All-Star team, came over from the Twins. He's still in San Francisco, coming off a .288/.325/.432 season with 40 steals in the first season he played regularly in the majors. He hit 11 home runs in May and June but just four the rest of the season, so the first-half power spike could be interpreted as a fluke or not translating to AT&T. The Giants could sign Turner and use Nunez as a valuable utility guy (or try him in left field).

While the Giants struggled against lefties -- 24th in the majors in wOBA -- Turner is an odd case in that he has carried reverse-platoon splits the past two seasons, including a meager .209/.303/.337 line in 2016. Turner might not be the obvious antidote to the Giants' southpaw problems.

4. Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have many options: Pablo Sandoval, Travis Shaw, Brock Holt and Yoan Moncada. The team's website is in a holiday mood because it currently lists Sandoval first on the depth chart. The Red Sox actually ranked last in the majors in wOBA at third base last season. Moncada appears to be the long-term solution, and the club has Rafael Devers in the minors, but if Moncada is traded in, say, a package for Chris Sale, that could open a door to sign Turner.

5. Atlanta Braves

There isn't an obvious fifth team, as most contenders are set at third, and most of the teams with holes at third base are rebuilding or unlikely to spend the money. The Braves have Adonis Garcia at third, but he really isn't that good, and he's as old as Turner. After signing Bartolo Colon and R.A. Dickey and making noise about going after Sale, the Braves are acting like they think they can contend. Maybe they're the sleeper team here.