Justin Turner is in his sixth week since suffering a fractured left wrist during Spring Training, and it’s still unclear when the Los Angeles Dodgers will get their All-Star third baseman back.
The organization has not released a public timetable, though Dodgers general manager Farhan Zaidi said the expectation was Turner would miss weeks, not months, while recovering. Turner said he was informed the fracture could take up to 10 weeks to heal.
He recently began hitting off a tee, setting the table for Turner to advance to taking batting practice. There was hope that he would progress to the point of beginning a rehab assignment this weekend.
However, that’s been pushed back for at last a few days, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
When Justin Turner began taking swings off a tee last week, Roberts expressed his hope that Turner could begin a rehabilitation assignment for his fractured wrist this weekend. But Turner is “unlikely” to appear in minor league games that soon, Roberts said. He remained optimistic that Turner could start playing in games by next week.
Without Turner, the Dodgers have used Kyle Farmer, Logan Forsythe, Kiké Hernandez and Max Muncy at third base. But Forsythe is also on the disabled list, and Hernandez figures to see more time in the outfield or shortstop in the wake of Corey Seager needing Tommy John surgery.
If Turner does begin a rehab assignment within the next week, he theoretically could be activated off the disabled list around the middle of the month. Turner’s return, whenever it comes, would provide a needed spark for a team that’s failed to meet expectations thus far.
