Looking to repeat as National League champions and end a 30-year World Series drought, the Los Angeles Dodgers began the 2018 season with All-Star third baseman Justin Turner on the disabled list.
He was hit by a pitch from Oakland Athletics starter Kendall Graveman and suffered a fractured left wrist. Turner managed to avoid surgery, but the injury is likely to keep him sidelined for several weeks.
The Dodgers have not publicly released a timetable for Turner’s return, which follows a theme previously set with Clayton Kershaw and others who have fallen victim to an injury in recent seasons. Manager Dave Roberts explained it’s to avoid the feeling of pressure during the recovery process.
Meanwhile, Dodgers general manager did recently state that the organization is optimistic Turner’s absence will be a matter of weeks, not months. Though, he did not provide any further details.
In what would be a step toward coming off the DL, Turner may soon begin work with a bat for the first time since the fracture, and his progress from that point would be determined by his pain threshold, according to Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
Dodgers All-Star third baseman Justin Turner is closer to swinging a bat, a crucial step in his recovery from a broken wrist.
“It’ll probably be about pain management from there,” Turner said before Thursday’s season opener against the San Francisco Giants. “There’s no doubt it’s going to be sore. But it’s just a matter of what you can deal with.”
Without Turner, who cemented himself as the team’s No. 3 batter in the lineup, Roberts indicated Yasiel Puig will receive ample opportunities to fill the void. In his first meaningful chance, Puig went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and one walk in the Opening Day loss to the San Francisco Giants, though he was merely a cog in the Dodgers’ quiet offense.
Invaluable as he is on the field and in the clubhouse, Turner voiced confidence the Dodgers would forge ahead while he recovers. The team does have experience in being without him, as the Dodgers went 12-7 last season while Turner spent nearly one month on the DL due to a right hamstring strain.
The 33-year-old went 12-for-36 (.333 batting average), with a .415 on-base percentage, .556 slugging, two doubles, two home runs, three RBI and three walks in 15 Cactus League games this spring.
