Dodgers: Turner’s injury likely ends his year

LOS ANGELES – His hamstring injured and his season likely over, Justin turner He approached 25 feet from first base and tried to stop. He accelerated backward, limping at first before slowing down enough to turn the limping into a limp. Slowly and painfully, he made his way back to the Los Angeles Dodgers dugout, wincing with each step, before he Albert pujols help you down the stairs and through the tunnel that leads to the clubhouse.

So now, one loss from an inglorious ending to a remarkable season, the Dodgers face a 3-1 deficit in the National League Championship Series (SCLN) without their All-Star third baseman, who He suffered a hamstring injury while hitting a double play hit in the seventh inning of a 9-2 loss to the Atlanta Braves in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed in his postgame interview that the first indication is that Turner has a Grade 2 strain, which is defined as a partial tear of one or more hamstring muscles.

“So, I think that will be it for him,” Roberts said. The normal recovery period for a partial tear is four to eight weeks.

Turner’s injury is just one more addition to the Dodgers’ roster of unavailable star players. Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw has been out since early October with a forearm / elbow injury, and first baseman Max Muncy has been out at least during the SCLN with an elbow injury sustained on the final day of the season. regular.

Turner is one of several regular Dodgers players who have struggled offensively during the postseason. He only hit one hit in 20 at-bats in the five games against the San Francisco Giants in the National League Division Series (SDLN), and jokingly called for the ball after that hit, a single. In four games against the Braves, Turner has two hits, a walk and a pitch in 12 plate appearances.

Roberts, who was in no mood to expose much of anything after his team’s loss on Wednesday, said he spoke with Turner and described his mood as “obviously very disappointed.” When asked how Turner’s absence might affect his team’s psyche, Roberts said: “Honestly, what I’m thinking about and what I hope our guys think about is just tomorrow.”

The Dodgers did not make Turner available to reporters after the game.

The injury occurred with the Dodgers losing 5-2 and Walker Buehler, as a substitute running back after Pujols led off with a pinch single at first base. Turner grounded out to shortstop, and Dansby swansonSeeing Turner limping, he stepped on second on his own and threw to first for the double play.

“I feel bad for Justin,” said the Dodgers outfielder. AJ Pollock. “JT, he’s a warrior. You could see him coming off the field. He’s a hamstring. I’ll let him tell you about that, but you never want to see your teammate go down.”

The Dodgers will be able to replace Turner on the roster for Game 5. Roberts said the choice will be an infielder, and mentioned Zach McKinstry, Billy McKinney and Andy Burns as options.

.