While the Los Angeles Dodgers in some sense have utilized the 10-day disabled list to help juggle pitchers in and out of their starting rotation, there’s no silver lining to losing Justin Turner.
But if the Dodgers can find solace in Turner’s hamstring injury, it’s that the MRI revealed a Grade 1 strain, which is the most-mild case. “We’re hopeful we’ll get him back on the field a couple weeks,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
Turner returned from a similar injury in 2014 after 15 days, the minimum stint on the disabled list at the time. He was hesitant to project that quick of a recovery this time around.
“I’m just going to take it day by day,” Turner said. “The main thing is to make sure it’s 100 percent healthy so I don’t have to go through it again.”
Turner expressed a sense of relief over the diagnosis because more discomfort set in Friday morning than he anticipated. “The MRI results coming back the way they did is a very positive thing,” he said.
Whenever Turner is activated the Dodgers will remain mindful of his workload. “For us, it’s kind of once every seven days we like to give him a day off,” Roberts explained.
“We’ll continue to monitor it. I know JT wants to be out there as much as he can. When he does come back, you want to make sure he’s as close to 100 percent as possible, and also easing him in.”
A notable difference between Turner’s two hamstring injuries is his role. Three seasons ago, he was a super-utility player off the bench. Now, the 32-year-old is a linchpin in the Dodgers lineup and among the game’s best hitters.
“To miss him for any extended time is tough, let alone two weeks,” Roberts said. “It’s a big blow. We’ve dealt with those in the past and we’re going to continue going forward.
“The leadership as a position player, the defense that he plays — very consistent and elite — and obviously what he does in the batter’s box. Consistently putting at-bats together, the baserunning, all the components that help you win baseball games, that’s what JT does for our club.”
Turner is currently limited to playing catch and doing some exercises aimed at keeping his legs in shape. Swinging a bat is not yet permitted.
