Justin Turner was unable to finish the 2021 postseason on the field with the Los Angeles Dodgers as he suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series.
By late November, Turner indicated his recovery was progressing well and he effectively was back to full health. “Everything is good. I’ve been up here (Dodger Stadium) three days a week, going through therapy and rehab, working out,” he said from the Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Thanksgiving turkey giveaway event.
Earlier this month Turner joined his wife Kourtney in running the Rose Bowl 5K. Also within the past week, he was on the field to complete one-handed fielding drills during a workout.
The fielding drill additionally targets footwork at third base, which is a point of emphasis Turner has passed on when hosting youth camps over recent years.
While Turner initially was reporting to Dodger Stadium for workouts and rehab during the early stages of the offseason, the MLB lockout has prevented that from continuing. Though for December that made little impact as the Turners went on another RV trip back to Indiana.
Turner ranked top-10 third baseman
After batting .278/.361/.471 with 22 doubles, 27 home runs and 87 RBI over a team-best 151 games, Turner was ranked the No. 7 third baseman heading into the 2022 season by ESPN’s Buster Olney.
Olney amassed his annual list by receiving input from evaluators and others around baseball.
The 2022 season potentially could be Turner’s last with the Dodgers. It’s the final guaranteed year on his contract, though L.A. holds a team option for 2023.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
