It took almost the entire off-season, more than anyone could have expected, but the Dodgers and Justin Turner agreed to a two-year contract on Saturday to keep third baseman in Los Angeles four days before pitchers and catchers report for training. spring on Wednesday.
The deal concludes a three and a half month standoff between the two sides. Turner, 36, got a free agency looking for a three or four-year contract. The Dodgers committed to a two-year offer and did not give in while Turner tested the market for suitors. The Dodgers ended up winning.
Turner’s return ensures that his final act as a Dodger will not cause controversy the night the Dodgers won the World Series, when he was told during Game 6 of the World Series that he had a positive result for COVID-19, but took the field during the post-game celebration anyway.
It would have been a strange ending to a memorable Dodgers career. The Lakewood native jumped from the reserve released to one of the elite hitters in the majors in his first seven years with the club. He became a fan favorite for his production, October performances and distinctive red look. He has evolved into a club and community leader. He is loved in Southern California.
But injuries have plagued Turner for the past few seasons. His mobility has decreased. The Dodgers, as a result, did not want to commit for three years. Turner attracted consideration from other clubs. The Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets, at one time or another, had an interest in hiring him.
Ultimately, he decided to accept the Dodgers’ offer and return to a roster that helped propel the franchise’s first championship in 32 years last season.
Turner arrived in Los Angeles in 2014 as an afterthought. He debuted at the championships in 2009 at the age of 24. He was not a great full-time player for another two years. He was never a regular player in his three full seasons with the New York Mets before the club did not negotiate in December 2013. He was designed to earn less than $ 1 million next season through refereeing. The Mets decided it was not worth it.
The teams were not clamoring for Turner, as he unexpectedly hit the free agency. He spent months without a deal until Tim Wallach, then a coach at the Dodgers’ bank, saw Turner at a Cal State Fullerton alumni game. The two spoke. Turner soon signed a secondary league contract with an invitation to train in the spring, fulfilling a childhood dream.
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner celebrates with Mookie Betts, right after hitting a home run in Game 4 of the 2020 World Series.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Turner was lost when he reported to Camelback Ranch; he went to the minor league team on the first day before being redirected. He competed for a spot in the major league squad that spring and won one, but as a reserve player.
He gained time playing in the infield with an escape season, hitting 0.340 with a percentage of 0.897 on the most hitting base in 322 plate appearances. The wave was fueled by a change of balance that he started in his last year with the Mets. He was the Dodgers’ third daily base in the middle of the 2015 season and did not fall.
He finished ninth in the National League MVP vote in 2016. That winter, the Dodgers gave him a $ 64 million contract for four years. He made his only All-Star team, finished eighth in the MVP vote and became a postseason hero the following year when he scored a home run in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.
The home run took place on the 29th anniversary of Kirk Gibson’s home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Turner, a young four-year-old Dodger fan, watched the movie at his grandmother’s house.
Turner continued to perform consistently, despite the increase in persistent injuries and reduced mobility for the remainder of his four-year contract. He hit 0.302 with a 0.886 OPS and 139 OPS + during the regular season in seven years with the Dodgers. Production was almost identical on the club’s seven postseason journeys: batting average of 0.295 and 0.899 OPS in 72 games.
A strain on the hamstring hampered Turner in 2020. He was on the injured list for almost a month. He was limited to 42 of the Dodgers’ 60 regular season games. He never looked very good, but he started all 18 postseason games, accumulating three home runs and six doubles in 78 plate appearances.
He did not, however, finish the World Series Dodgers’ race on the field. He was quarantined at the headquarters of the Dodgers’ club at the end of Game 6 of the World Series at the Globe Life Field, after being told during the seventh round that his test was positive for coronavirus. He was removed from the game before the eighth entry.
Moments after the Dodgers secured the championship, news came of Turner’s positive test. The confusion ensued minutes later, when he appeared on the field wearing a mask during the team’s photo shoot before removing the mask for the team photo. His decision was controversial and became national history. The following morning, Major League Baseball announced that it was investigating the situation in a severe press release blaming Turner for the episode.
“Turner was placed in isolation for the safety of those around him,” said the MLB in the statement. “However, after the Dodgers’ victory, it is clear that Turner chose to disregard the agreed joint protocols and the instructions he received on the safety and protection of others.
“While the desire to celebrate is understandable, Turner’s decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came into contact with at risk. When MLB Security raised the issue of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to obey. “
Turner did not comment publicly for another nine days when he, the MLB and the Dodgers issued separate statements to bury the matter. Turner apologized. MLB took on some guilt and said he would not be disciplined. The Dodgers described the sequence as “ultimately unfortunate”.
For months, there was a chance that Turner would never play for the Dodgers again. It took longer than expected, but he is a Dodger again, perhaps for the rest of his career.