When the Los Angeles Dodgers completed their trade for Max Scherzer and Trea Turner, president of baseball operations raved about not only what the future Hall of Famer would bring to the team but also the impact the All-Star shortstop would have as well.
Most notably, Friedman highlighted the elite speed Turner possesses and how that would bring a new element to a Dodgers roster that otherwise is filled with talent. Turner has been slotted in the leadoff spot of the lineup thus far and made Friedman look prophetic.
On Tuesday that included scoring from second base on Will Smith’s base hit into right field that was 104 mph off the bat. Bryce Harper made a strong throw home, but Turner’s speed effectively negated it.
While that was a highlight in itself, so too was Turner’s slide and smooth transition into popping up. “I’ve been doing that a long time. It’s just how I slide, I guess,” he said after the Dodgers’ 5-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I try to not hit the ground very hard, because it usually doesn’t feel great. So I try to be as soft as I can on slides, whether it’s head-first or feet-first, and I try to obviously avoid tags. It’s just how I’ve slid basically my whole life.”
Turner finished the night 2-for-5 with a double and the run scored. He also ribbed teammates over their inexperience with rain delays.
“I was laughing. The guys in here were really mad about the rain,” Turner said. “I’ve played in it a long time and I’m used to it. I was kind of giving them a hard time that they were complaining they didn’t have this out in the West Coast.
“I was saying this is normal. We were going back and forth but we kept it locked in, and I think it’s good we got a chance to finish the game and not have to play two games [Wednesday].”
Turner focused on fitting in
Although one of baseball’s best shortstops, Turner has accepted a move to second base with the Dodgers. He explained that to merely be part of the process of joining a team with World Series aspirations and looking to do his part in helping the Dodgers succeed.
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