Dodgers: Trea Turner Takes Pride in Starting Every Game Along with Freeman
Gone are the days of players suiting up for all 162 games in baseball. Gone are the days of players even suiting up for all 82 games in basketball. In the era of ‘load management’ and analytics, managers and coaches have made an effort to give their players calculated days-off.
But some guys are just old-school.
Two of the Dodgers’ biggest stars, Trea Turner and Freddie Freeman, aren’t on the load management train. Up until Turner’s first day off last week — which I’m sure Dave Roberts had to beg him to take — both players had started every single game for the Dodgers. And Freeman’s streak continues to this day (I guess Dave’s spiel didn’t work on the first baseman).
When asked about the desire to play in every game, especially when the Dodgers are so comfortably in first place in the NL West, Turner said it was twofold.
“It’s a little bit of a pride thing,” Turner said, “But it’s a little bit of what Freddie said. You know, this is what we get paid to do, we come, show up, and do our job.”
The Dodgers are fortunate enough to have two of their best players and leaders in the clubhouse coming into every game with this mindset. They’re setting a perfect example for the rest of the team: our job is to help this team win games, so that’s what we’re going to do.
“Some people are lucky enough to play every day, some people have different roles and whatnot. I’m lucky enough to play every day, so I try to take advantage of it.”
Well take advantage of it he has.
Entering play on Sunday, Turner is hitting .305 with 19 home runs (which has already tied his career-high) and 94 RBIs (which has shattered his previous career-high of 73). He’s also second in the MLB with 171 hits, only trailing Freeman who has 178 — curse Dave Roberts for giving him a day-off, he could’ve had a four-hit game!
