For as much of the 2020 season being unique for several reasons, the Los Angeles Dodgers found themselves in a familiar position as the calendar turned to September. They not only sat atop the National League West but also with the best record in baseball.
As much as the Dodgers are gearing up for a postseason run that they hope will end with a World Series trophy, health is somewhat of an issue. As it currently stands, Pedro Baez, Joe Kelly and Justin Turner are each on the 10-day injured list.
Turner was the most recent to be sidelined, suffering a left hamstring strain last weekend. It came not long after he was hit by a pitch in the same hamstring. The Dodgers held off on putting Turner on the IL until Tuesday, with the stint retroactive to Aug. 29.
“It was kind of a double whammy,” Turner said of his balky hamstring. “I had gotten hit about three days before that, so it was kind of two things going on at once.”
Turner previously dealt with hamstring trouble in 2017 and 2019, with the first instance requiring a three-week stint on the IL. This case is not nearly as severe, with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts deeming it a “low-grade” strain.
Just one day into his time on the IL, Turner had already reported improvement. “I’m progressing every day and doing everything I can,” he said. “Our training staff and strength staff is unbelievable. We’re putting in work every day to get me back out there on the field.”
Approaching 10 years
Turner is on the verge of reaching 10 years of Major League service time, and in a seventh with the Dodgers, will earn a no-trade clause as a player with 10-and-5 rights. Of course, that’s a moot point this year and will be if Turner does not re-sign in free agency this winter.
As for reaching a heralded benchmark of 10 years in the Majors, Turner isn’t completely certain of when it will come. “I actually don’t know when that is,” he said. “This is a weird year, so I don’t know if one day counts as three days, or when that’s coming up.
“I think it’s kind of a date that sticks out to a lot of guys. We have a few guys in the clubhouse that have already hit their 10th year. I think Kenley just hit his a couple days ago. I know he’s a few days ahead of me in service time, so mine is coming up.
“It’s crazy to think about where I was, the road I’ve taken to get here, to be coming up on 10 years is pretty cool to think about.”
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