Earlier this week, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner joined John Hartung and SportsNet LA to discuss the upcoming season.
.@redturn2 chats with @LAJohnHartung about the #Dodgers remaining hungry heading into the 2020 season.
Full Interview: https://t.co/vajGPPgLgp pic.twitter.com/4EVpF5MBXu
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) January 22, 2020
While JT — like all of us — is chomping at the bit to get this new season underway, he also took some time to discuss a focal point of his for the coming season.
The strikeouts were up a little bit last year. [We] dug into some numbers and had some conversations with some our hitting guys and [President of Baseball Operations] Andrew Friedman.
That’s something that I take a lot of pride in and I know your partner in crime — Nomar — it kind of rubs him the wrong way to see all the strikeouts in the game, and I’m very similar. If I had to pinpoint one thing, seeing those strikeout numbers go up last year was a little frustrating for me.
Turner struck out 88 times in 2019, his most since the 2016 season (107). Oddly enough, in both seasons he smacked 27 home runs, which is his single-season high.
The 35 year-old is entering his seventh season with Los Angeles. Moreover, with players like David Freese and Rich Hill retired, the 2020 campaign will afford Turner the opportunity to become the de facto grizzled veteran in the Dodgers clubhouse.
Hopefully the season is kind to the vet who is entering the final year of his contract.
NEXT: JT Celebrates “Justin Turner Day” in the Most JT Way
