Dodgers: Justin Turner Shares Old Zack Greinke Story That Helped His Career

Justin Turner wasn't always the All-Star third baseman we know him as today. We’ve heard much over the years about JT’s swing changes from that 2013-2014 offseason when he signed with the Dodgers after being let go by the New York Mets. We've heard about him working with swing guru Doug Latta, among others, that helped alter the trajectory of his career. But, as it turns out, Turner has one more person to thank.

In an interview with Jomboy Media's Chris Rose, the veteran revealed that he had a discussion with then-teammate Zack Greinke that not only helped him become a two-time National League All-Star, but also led him to be the Dodgers' franchise all-time hit by pitch record-holder.

The Zack Greinke story. He helped me kind of become the hitter that I am today because I actually sat next to him on the bench one night and I asked him, I said, ‘Greinke, if you were pitching to me, how do you get me out?’ And in Greinke fashion, he’ll be like, well, he won’t answer you. He’ll say, ‘let me go look at something — I’ll go look it up and then I’ll get back to you.’

So the next day he gets back to me and I’m like, ‘well, what do you got?’ And he’s like, ‘I would throw you 100 straight fastballs away.’ And I said, ‘what are you talking about? Like, 70% of my hits are the other way.’ And he’s like, ‘yeah, but all your hits are closer to you. You take the ball that’s close to you and you shoot it the other way. You don’t do anything on the ball out over.’ And I asked if he thought I should get on top of the plate, and he said, ‘if I were you, I’d get as close to the plate as you possibly can.’ And from that day forward, I stood on top of the plate and now I’m the all-time hit by pitch leader for the Dodgers. Because of Greinke.

In 2014 and 2015, Greinke and Turner were teammates. During that time, JT managed to focus his defense and went from being a high-quality utility man to a starting third baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Even the best need help sometimes. What makes this one little story so great is it paints a picture of that life on the bench for pro athletes but it also demonstrates the importance of veteran presence and mentorship. Young players should never be afraid to ask questions, even if they’re asking someone like Zack Greinke.