Dodgers: Justin Turner Highlights, Grades and More | 2022 Year in Review

Welcome to part seven of the annual Dodgers Nation player grades and season reviews, this time for the 2022 season. Up next in the series is a guy who will surely be missed next season, the legend Justin Turner. Check out Trea Turner in part one, Freddie Freeman in part two, Mookie Betts in part three, Gavin Lux in part four, Will Smith in part five and Cody Bellinger in part six.

Justin Turner’s 2022 season should be looked at in two parts. Part one was April through June, or what I like to call, the time period where Joe Musgrove called him “not a threat.” And part two is July through the end of the year, or what I like to call, the time period after Joe Musgrove called him “not a threat.”

In the first part of the season, Turner had a slash line of .227/.298/.375 with six home runs, 41 RBIs and 50 strikeouts in 70 games. He had an abysmal OPS of just .673. Then, Musgrove decided to say he wasn’t a threat.

From July 1 through the end of the season, Turner slashed .340/.412/.514 with seven home runs and 40 RBIs in 58 games. He had an impressive OPS of .926, and was one of the best hitters in baseball in the second half.

So, thanks Joe Musgrove!

Turner’s postseason brought back the struggles, as he had just two hits in 13 at-bats, ultimately bringing an end to his Dodger career.

Fan Vote Results

Dodger fans took to Twitter to share their thoughts on Turner’s 2022 (and final) season with the Dodgers. Here are the results:

Next up in our 2022 grades series??
How would you grade Justin Turner's season as a whole?#DNpolls #2022LADgrades #Dodgers

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) December 13, 2022

The results were pretty much split between two grades. Of the 1,662 fans who voted in the Dodgers Nation Twitter poll, 45% of them gave him a C, while a slightly more 45.1% of them gave him a B. Of the last 9.9% of voters, 4.2% gave him an A, while 5.7% gave him an F — clearly, those guys didn’t want him back next season.

Dodgers Nation Take

If I had to grade JT’s 2022 season, I would probably give him a B-, or for the sake of this poll, a B. Turner was showing every bit of his age early in the season, but then turned it around for an extremely productive second half. The postseason struggles that spelled the end of his Dodger career were sad to see, but he still made a huge impact on a 111-win team. The time felt right for him to move on, but it’s nice to know he’ll always be a part of Dodger history as a leading contributor on the 2020 World Series champions.

What’s Next

Justin Turner’s time in Los Angeles is officially over. He signed a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox, shortly after the Dodgers reached a one-year agreement with designated hitter J.D. Martinez.

While it’s never easy to say goodbye to a legend, it definitely felt like the offseason to move on. Turner’s time in L.A. will never be forgotten, and his presence on the field and in the locker room will definitely be missed.

JT came to Los Angeles as a struggling baseball player just looking to stick around. He left as a two-time All-Star, a 2017 NLCS MVP, a 2022 Roberto Clemente Award winner and a 2020 World Series champion. It doesn’t get much better than that.

We wish Justin the best of luck in Boston, and we can’t wait to see him again when the Dodgers face the Red Sox on August 25-27 at Fenway Park.