Justin Turner may have played for the Chicago Cubs this past year, but he still remains one of the most popular Los Angeles Dodgers players in recent memory.
As the story goes, Turner was a little-used utility man for much of his career before exploding with his hometown team starting in 2014.
For nine years, Turner was among the team leaders. He made two All-Star appearances during this stretch, won the 2017 NLCS MVP Award, and was a core member of the 2020 World Series winning team. He’s since featured for four other ballclubs (Cubs, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox). However, his impact and imprint on this franchise is undeniable.
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A native of Southern California, Turner remains a fixture in the community. He recently just hosted his ninth annual Justin Turner Foundation Golf Classic in Thousand Oaks.
When speaking to the media, Turner, now a free agent approaching his 41st birthday in late November, offered a very interesting comment pertaining to the Dodgers. He was asked specifically about the reality that retirement is right around the corner.
“I mean, I think it’s pretty obvious that the biggest chunk of my career came in LA with those nine years. The turning point in my career came when I put the Dodgers uniform on. The one title I won was with the Dodgers. That’s definitely, I think, I don’t even want to get down to that yet but it’s probably a slam dunk that [retiring with the Dodgers on a one-day contract] will happen that way. I don’t know, we’ll see what happens. If there was one [franchise to retire with], I think the obvious one would be the Dodgers.”
Turner played sparingly for the Cubs this year, hitting .219 with three homers and 18 runs batted in. The veteran presence he brings to any clubhouse would be a major benefit. However, given his diminished bat speed and mobility from a defensive standpoint, it would be mildly surprising if he was picked up with another ballclub.
As he eventually hits the next stage of his career, it would not be surprising in the least to see him end up in the Dodgers organization as a coach or front office consultant.
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Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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