After the Los Angeles Dodgers further lengthened their lineup with a trade for Brian Dozier, the next addition of sorts many looked forward to was Justin Turner returning from a groin injury. He was activated off the 10-day disabled list Thursday, the first day he was eligible.
The Dodgers went 5-5 in the 10 games Turner missed. In addition to the groin injury that sidelined him, the All-Star third baseman had been dealing with lingering soreness in a previously fractured left wrist, as well as a jammed thumb.
The hope was time off would allow for Turner to recover from the various ailments. He hit third, back of Manny Machado, and contributed in the record setting night at Dodger Stadium by slugging a two-run home run.
Following the Dodgers’ win, Turner indicated he essentially felt as though he hadn’t missed any action, via Austin Laymance of MLB.com:
“It definitely felt good to drive a ball to the middle of the field,” Turner said. “It felt good in the box all night. I felt like I saw the ball good and the timing was good. So that was nice.”
Turner’s home run was one of seven the Dodgers hit on the night. Their nine runs in the seventh were the most the team has scored in any inning this season, and their 21 runs set a Dodger Stadium record.
The home run was Turner’s sixth this season and his 14th extra-base hit. There’s a hope that his stint on the disabled list will lend to Turner producing at his usual rate and again becoming one of the Dodgers’ more potent hitters down the stretch of the season.
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