Dodgers News: Justin Turner Talks About Road Back

Justin Turner has swung a hot bat this spring, and he’s attempting to come back from microfracture surgery this offseason to repair his knee. That surgery has left some wondering just how good he’ll be this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but the veteran third baseman remains confident.

In 439 plate appearances last season, Turner hit .294 with a .370 on-base percentage. He even slugged a career-high 16 home runs, and it signaled a possibility that he was able to unlock some power potential. The knee surgery took some of that possible power away, but he’s focused on getting healthy all over again.

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From Doug Padilla, staff writer from ESPN dot com:

“I think it’s constantly going to be a work in progress, building up that aptitude to be to be where I can do days of work in a row,” [Justin] Turner said. “I guess I haven’t thought about the second half, I’m thinking about being as healthy as possible on the [April] 4th. Hopefully by the second half, this thing is a distant memory and I don’t have to worry about it.”

Turner seems like he should be ready for opening day, but it’s still not set in stone. The Dodgers are hoping that he’ll be able to get ready in time for the start of the season, and they will definitely need him if they want to compete. He was one of their most consistent performers last season, so you can understand the need for him.

You’d love to see Turner come out of this with his full health, and that definitely seems like a possibility, but it’ll take time for that to happen. While his fantastic spring is certainly evidence that he’s on the right path, patience is key. Health is the biggest factor, and Turner seems like he should get there.