Dodgers News: Justin Turner Posts On Social Media for First Time Since NLDS Loss

Dodgers infielder Justin Turner posted a message to L.A. fans on Instagram, apologizing for the team's loss and thanking the fans for their passionate support.

It's easy for baseball fans to sometimes think they care more than the players do. We've seen that with Dodgers fans over the past 10 days, with accusations of "no heart" peppered among the complaints about L.A.'s shocking loss to the Padres in the NLDS.

What we sometimes forget is that professional athletes are not only real people, but real people with the competitive drive to become the best in the world at what they do. Athletes with that drive and determination don't just brush off a loss. They feel it at least as deeply as we fans do.

On Tuesday, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner posted on Instagram for the first time since L.A.'s season ended 10 days ago. His post, addressed to the fans, is part apology and part thanks, and it shows how deeply he cares about the success of the team he grew up rooting for and now plays for.

Turner's apology is heartfelt and sincere.

"All of your emotion, pain, disappointment, sadness, tears, anger, what the F happened; I feel it all. As a Dodger who has been here for a lot of these endings, I feel like these words won’t ever be enough, and I understand that. There are no excuses, finger pointing or coulda woulda shouldas that will make this go away. For a team that had the season we had, this is gut-wrenching and hard to accept."

JT goes on to thank Dodger fans for continuing to show up and support their team, both at home and on the road.

"But most of all, thank you for always showing up and showing love to your boys in blue. You all lead attendance at home and on the road again this year and were such a force of a fan base that they blocked our zip codes from buying playoff tickets down South."

Turner's message comes at a time of uncertainty. After his struggles in the postseason contributed to L.A.'s early playoff departure, his future is unclear as the Dodger wrestle with whether to exercise his $16 million team option for 2023. JT has been a team leader and pillar of the community for so long, it's hard to picture him anywhere else, but it could happen.