Alexander: Justin Turner gets a hometown hero’s welcome from Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — If nothing else, the Dodgers have this homecoming routine down pat.

They welcomed back two-time World Series MVP Corey Seager when he came to town with the Texas Rangers in early June. Two weekends ago they extended a warm welcome to Dusty Baker as a new Legend of Dodger Baseball – remembering his feats as the Dodger left fielder wearing the No. 12 that his idol Tommy Davis wore, and conveniently forgetting his days managing the hated San Francisco Giants and Houston Astros. Then they signed Matt Kemp to a one-day contract so he could retire as a Dodger, and he, too, basked in the love of the crowd.

Monday night it was Justin Turner’s time, in his first return to The Ravine since he left at the end of the 2022 season. This might have been the most joyous homecoming of all.

Turner – whom then-General Manager Ned Colletti took a flyer on in 2014 after he’d been non-tendered by the New York Mets – was and is immensely popular among the fans, as well as immensely influential because of the good works he and his wife Kourtney have done for the community.

But mostly it was because in his nine seasons Turner was not only the heart and soul but the conscience of a team that, for most of that time, ruled the National League West (and, in 2020, all of baseball).

“In my emotional side, I wish he was a Dodger forever,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “That’s just not the way that sports works. … He’s probably the smartest player at understanding all the facets of the game, on the field, off the field, responsibility as a professional athlete.”

And maybe the roots of the fans’ love go even deeper, because he was truly a hometown hero. Turner was the kid from Mayfair High in Lakewood who went to Cal State Fullerton, became a freshman All-American and a year later a national champion. He was the youngster who, as legend has it, watched Kirk Gibson’s game-ending and maybe series-deciding home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series on TV, as a 4-year-old … and 29 years later, to the day, hit a walk-off of his own in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Chicago Cubs.

Was he born to be a Dodger? Consider the story he told a few years back of how his grandmother would visit Chavez Ravine just to watch as Dodger Stadium was being built.

Coming to the Dodgers “was one of the best things that ever happened to my career,” he said Monday afternoon, before going 1 for 3 – singling in the fifth inning for half of the Mariners’ two hits – in the Dodgers’ 3-0 victory.

“I’ve always said one of my favorite things about playing here is, your walk to the (home) clubhouse every day is literally walking through the Dodger Museum and seeing all the awards, all the accolades, all the accomplishments that all the great players have achieved. And it was pretty cool that I actually got to play with some of those guys who were still wearing the uniform.

“One of them’s still over there, 22, (Clayton Kershaw). He’s still the same, which is really cool. I’m so happy that he made it back, and he’s back to to dominating the way he is.”

Turner is no longer a Dodger because following the 2022 season management feared diminishing returns from a player who would turn 38 that November. In that case Andrew Friedman’s new age baseball philosophy drew on the adage Branch Rickey coined eight or so decades ago: “Better to trade a player a year too early than a year too late.”

Yeah, well, Turner looks at it this way: Not being re-signed by the Dodgers enabled him to play in Boston, Toronto and now Seattle: “If I was still a Dodger, obviously I wouldn’t have had those opportunities.”

Still, some fan bases don’t forget, no matter what uniform he currently wears.

“I mean, I went to San Francisco, I got booed,” he said before the game. “I go to San Diego, I get booed. I go to Arizona, I get booed. So I’m hoping I hear some cheers.”

That was not going to be a problem, not here. And while Justin was being honored during a pre-game ceremony – which included a $10,000 donation to the Justin Turner Foundation – Kourtney held Bo Jordan Turner, born July 7 and making his first visit to The Ravine.

“He won’t remember a thing,” Justin said.

Someday, Dad will explain.

And maybe, somehow, Dad will again be a part of the Dodgers organization. Turner said he texted Kemp after the former outfielder had signed that one-day contract two Sundays ago, and you get the impression he’d embrace a similar ceremony once his playing days are done.

Asked about some of his memories here, Turner talked about the men he played alongside.

“One of the things that’s always stuck out to me was the first day I walked in the clubhouse in spring training (in 2014),” he said. “I walk in and look around the clubhouse. And it’s Juan Uribe, it’s Hanley Ramirez, it’s Adrian Gonzalez, Matt Kemp. Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Kenley Jansen. You know, the list just went on and on and on. And it was kind of a ‘pinch me’ moment, like, ‘Hey, do I belong in this room with all these people?’”

That wasn’t a question, as it turns out. Nor should it be a question that, when Turner finally retires as a player, there will be a place for him in the Dodgers organization.

“You know, obviously the organization, Mark (Walter, controlling owner), Andrew (Friedman) and Justin have obviously a huge respect and admiration,” Roberts said. “So it seems like a no-brainer for me, but only time will tell. He’s still playing.

“I’m sure Justin can do whatever he wants (in an organization), in my opinion. I think he’s an on-field guy. I think he could be in the booth. He has an eye for talent. I think he could be in the front office. Being a field manager is something I think is on his radar.”

Yeah, maybe it’s too soon. As Turner put it, “I try my best not to look backwards because hopefully there’s still a whole lot in front of me.”

But when the time comes, Dodgers, do the right thing. Bring him home to stay.

jalexander@scng.com

A standing ovation for Justin Turner pic.twitter.com/RqGUe4gCZk

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 20, 2024

"Thank you so much for nine of the most incredible years of my life."

Thank you, Justin. pic.twitter.com/WZV8bBp68w

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 20, 2024