Dodgers: Justin Turner Talks Recovery from Hamstring Injury

The veteran third baseman is back on his feet and working at Dodger Stadium.

Long off-seasons have been rare for the Dodgers this past decade so it comes as no surprise that players are taking full advantage of the rest their bodies. Dodgers’ third baseman, Justin Turner, whose postseason ended early after he suffered a grade 2 hamstring strain in the NLCS against the Braves, is one such player.

Now, about a month or so after the injury, JT is back and on his feet. Last week he joined the Dodgers Foundation at their 17th annual Community Thanksgiving Turkey Giveaway and spoke with am570’s Dave Vassegh about his injury:

Definitely feeling better. I’ve been up (at Dodger Stadium) working out with the trainers and strength guys for three-four weeks now and I feel like I’m in a pretty good place.

.@THEREAL_DV catches up with @redturn2 to talk about his offseason, the current #Dodgers free agents & more ⚾️

Full interview: https://t.co/599WJI1MGx pic.twitter.com/8fUW3eo8p5

— AM 570 LA Sports (@AM570LASports) November 22, 2021

JT is now 37 years old, and with age comes numerous possible health issues. He played in 151 games last year (his most since 2016), and it took an obvious toll. He's confirmed that after the abbreviated 60-game season in 2020, his body was feeling the strain of returning to 162 games. Over the last 67 games of 2021, his batting average dropped to .241, 60 points lower than his first-half mark of .305, which also led to a decrease in run production.

As the team's unofficial captain, Turner made sure he was available to Dave Roberts every day and deserves praise for his dedication, but if such availability means losing him in the postseason — he only hit .118 in 10 games — it may not have been worth it after all.