With Turner gone, the team remains committed to compete at a high level this season.
Justin Turner will certainly be missed in Los Angeles by both fans and teammates, but with the 2023 regular season approaching, the Dodgers will have to focus on building upon the roster they now have.
The veteran third baseman played with the Dodgers from 2014 to 2022. Last month, Turner signed a contract with the Boston Red Sox for the 2023 season.
At Dodgers FanFest earlier this month, Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation spoke to a handful of teammates including Dodgers catcher, Austin Barnes, who specifically voiced his thoughts on Turner’s departure.
“He was definitely a voice for a lot of people. It’ll be hard, but we’ll figure it out. We’ll adapt and figure out who we are as a team.”
Turner was certainly a key contributor in LA as a consistent offensive threat. Last season, he batted .278 with 13 homers and 81 RBIs across 128 games.
As a veteran, the 38-year-old was able to display his leadership and strong presence in the clubhouse, as Barnes alluded to. Despite Turner’s contributions, Barnes believes that the team is capable of growing without him.
With Turner gone, players will have to do their part to re-establish the very winning culture that this organization has been known for. Barnes himself has been with the Dodgers for the entirety of his career and aims to be one guy that can step up in Turner’s absence.
As talented of a roster as the Dodgers have this season, they are poised to continue their success.
