Dodgers News: Star Infielder Set to Miss Several Games
Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner wasn't in the L.A. lineup last night despite San Diego sending JT's son, Joe Musgrove, to the mound. As it turns out, Turner will be getting some time off heading into the postseason.
JT fouled a ball off his shin in game one of the doubleheader with the Diamondbacks on September 20, part of his 12-pitch at-bat against Zach Davies.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts expects Turner to miss at least a couple games.
“There’s been some swelling in his left leg. So I think that I can see him being down for the next couple of days, to be quite honest, to kind of get that swelling out.”
Turner started off very poorly this year, posting a .469 OPS over the first four weeks of the season. He's been outstanding since, and his overall slash line of .280/.353/.444 isn't far off from what we've come to expect from JT.
The Dodgers have seven regular-season games left — tonight's series finale in San Diego, and then a six-game home series with the Rockies to wrap things up. They don't play their first postseason game until October 11, giving Turner nearly two weeks to get his shin together.
Health is going to be a huge factor for Los Angeles heading into the postseason. They currently have two starting pitchers, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, on the injured list, plus reliever Blake Treinen. Their position players are mostly healthy right now, and they're certainly hoping to keep it that way after feeling the effects of losing Max Muncy in the last weekend of the regular season last year. So it makes sense to give JT as much time as he needs right now.
