Justin Turner bails out Los Angeles Dodgers and records a first for the season
Justin Turner took the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday afternoon in the final moments of a 5-0 home loss to the Colorado Rockies. It was more than just another scene of a position player pitching. It was also a needed stopgap for the Dodgers.
Here’s why Justin Turner pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday mattered.
Turner, who earned an All-Star nod earlier this season for his play at third base, took over for the Dodgers on the mound in the ninth inning against Colorado. Throwing as hard as 76.9 mph and as slow as 56.7 mph, Turner gave up singles to Trevor Story and C.J. Cron to open the frame. However, he retired the next three batters in order, even covering first on a grounder hit by Sam Hilliard to Albert Pujols.
In all, Turner needed just 10 pitches to navigate the frame, and only one of those was a ball.
It was not only his first career pitching appearance, but also the first time the Dodgers had used a position player on the mound this season.
After the loss, manager Dave Roberts explained why he chose to use closer Kenley Jansen in the eighth and have Turner finish up the game.
#Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the decision to pitch Justin Turner was because he felt that it was a game they were "unlikely to win" given how the offense performed through eight innings.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) August 30, 2021
He also wanted to stay away from guys like Alex Vesia and Phil Bickford.
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On Sunday, the Dodgers put together just three hits against three different Rockies pitchers, losing the game as well as two of three games in the series. Los Angeles was forced into “bullpen games” in all three weekend matchups. Andre Jackson’s 4.2 innings in a relief role on Friday night was the most for any Dodgers pitcher this weekend against the Rockies.
With Los Angeles still chasing San Francisco for the National League West lead and the Atlanta Braves coming to Chavez Ravine for a big three-game series starting on Monday night, Roberts couldn’t gamble using another reliever in a game where he was already facing a five-run deficit heading into the final inning of a frustrating offensive showing.
Using Turner makes sense in the grand scheme of L.A.’s division title chase in the final month of the season and preparation for defending its World Series title. The mop-up role was also something that Turner apparently volunteered for if ever needed.
#Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the decision to pitch Justin Turner was because he felt that it was a game they were "unlikely to win" given how the offense performed through eight innings.
— Juan Toribio (@juanctoribio) August 30, 2021
He also wanted to stay away from guys like Alex Vesia and Phil Bickford.
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Pitching in sunglasses in a game where he entered as a pinch hitter in the seventh inning, Turner made Sunday one to remember for the Dodgers, even if the score was something to forget.