Justin Turner was held out of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for Game 2 of the National League Championship Series due to a neck stinger that he sustained during batting practice prior to the opening contest against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
The 36-year-old wound up making a pinch-hit appearance in the seventh inning of the Dodgers’ eventual walk-off loss and reached base safely after being hit by a pitch. It was the first time he did not start in the playoffs since Game 4 of the 2014 NL Division Series.
Turner expectedly returned to the lineup on Tuesday and went 0-for-3 with a walk. It’s no secret he has uncharacteristically struggled this postseason, but manager Dave Roberts expects him to eventually turn the tide.
“I thought he was moving well, I think he’s competing, even that last at-bat where he popped up, there’s fight,” Roberts said after the Dodgers’ 6-5 comeback victory in Game 3. “So that’s my bet. And as far as kind of squaring up baseballs, having productive at-bats, it’s going to happen.
“I think that they’re throwing the speed ball, challenging him, so once he gets the head to one of these balls and turns it around it will be a different ballgame. But Justin’s a guy that I always kind of expect good things to happen.”
As Roberts noted, Turner has had difficulties catching up to high velocity pitches since the start of the postseason. That was evident in Game 3 as he struck out, grounded out into a double play and hit a weak pop fly in his last at-bat.
After going hitless in Game 3, Turner is now batting just 3-for-31 this postseason with two walks and eight strikeouts. While he has struggled for the most part, one of his hits was a key home run off Adam Wainwright in the Wild Card Game.
Bellinger living in the moment after clutch home run in Game 3
Another player who has struggled over parts of the season is Cody Bellinger, who delivered in a big way in Game 3 with a game-tying three-run homer in the eighth inning.
“I don’t know,” answered Bellinger when asked if his blast saved the Dodgers’ season. “I don’t have that swing without Will and AJ, though.
“Like I said, they really brought the energy into the dugout and when I’m walking up to the plate I just try to continue that and continue to pass the baton.”
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