Dodgers Team News

Dodgers: Blake Treinen Blasts MLB and the Media For Handling of the Justin Turner Situation

Another day, another Dodgers teammate defending Justin Turner. The veteran infield came under fire after he celebrated on the field following Los Angeles’ World Series victory over the Rays. It was made public right around the time of the celebration that Turner had tested positive for COVID-19. 

MLB later issued a statement that claimed Turner had forced his way onto the field by refusing to comply with league officials’ requests. Now, Dodgers teammate Blake Treinen is saying that it went down much differently than we know. He appeared on the Wrap Radio with Patrick Meagher this week to talk about the entire situation, and it’s probably going to make you a little bit angry. 



I think the general public isn’t really given a lot of the truth involved in that and it’s really unfair what’s happening. Without going into detail, I think MLB really needs to be supporting him more than they are smearing him the way they did. That guy has given 10 years to the league, he’s been a phenomenal ambassador for the game. He asked if he could come out onto the field and people escorted him out there, it’s not like he ran out there.

The fact that JT was escorted out onto the field tells you that the story is already much different than what we know. Dodgers fans were told by highly regarded media members and the league that he ignored the requests of MLB officials and went onto the field anyway. But Treinen didn’t stop there with his truth bombs. From the sound of it, players weren’t entirely satisfied with the way media members behaved in the bubble. 

Justin is one of the greatest teammates I’ve ever had. And so for people to go out there and to start tweeting these reports instantly about how irresponsible it is, those are the same people who were doing things irresponsible within our own bubble. 

There are so many layers to this situation, but this is shaping up to be a PR nightmare for MLB. If this is truly the case, then members of the media and the league knowingly portrayed Turner’s actions in a way that puts the blame squarely on him. Was it irresponsible? Certainly. But for the league to deny all responsibility is incredibly disingenuous.

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28 Comments

    1. “Was it irresponsible? Certainly.’ NOT!

      The ‘media’ is the 21st century’s version of the good ol’ boys/girls network. They all are in lock step, chanting every PC position, in unison.

      Anyone breaking out of line is harshly punished by the rank and filers, be it wannabe sports pages, or the social media.

  1. Verducci was on MLB tonight, from his room just after the game and said in an interview… he said he noticed Turner in the dugout and then Turner came on the field and no one stopped him. So Verducci said he removed himself from the field because he knew the risk of exposure. So by his account, Justin didnt fight anyone to get on the field. Wonder if MLB will use that for their onvestigation?

  2. MLB is led by a liar and a coward, so we cannot trust anything coming from them or any of their lackeys in the media.

  3. Given? Um, Blake..he like you gets paid to play, so stop. Second point, escorted or dragged out, he should have been the “ambassador” you anointed him and used his head and stayed away from the group.

    1. Maybe you need to see this as Manfred’s diversion from the Asterisks’ Scandal where hardly anyone was punished so let’s throw shade on the team that was already screwed. We need a new commissioner: one who has both morals and fortitude.

  4. No harm, no foul unless another member of the Dodgers tested positive as a result of JT’s positive results.

    1. That would’ve happened from before, his results came in late in the day after he’d already been around everyone. If anyone got infected it was during then not when he came out for the celebration

    2. Faulty argument. It’s only a problem if somebody he exposed actually tests positive? By that logic, it should be OK to shoot into an occupied home and not be responsible if somebody is killed. You knew people were in there, you knew your bullets could potentially kill people if they’re hit, and you shot anyway.
      JT, who is one of my favorite Dodgers, as a longtime (50 yrs.) Dodger fan, is a team leader, and personally came up with more stringent rules for Covid-19 compliance to protect the team and others when this mess began. He knew, as someone who has tested positive (infected with the virus), that breaking quarantine and circulating among his teammates, some without masks, was a reckless decision. He’s no rookie, it was his decision to go out there, and it shouldn’t be contingent on somebody else being infected whether JT faces consequences.

  5. Why would turner even ask if he can go out in the field anyways? Whether you have 10 yrs or 20 yrs with league doesn’t matter! He was irresponsible! Period!

  6. First… It is very hard to find a “Highly Regarded Media Member”, now a days. Second… If anyone on the Dodgers should test positive, it didn’t happen after the game, considering Justin was there for all of the games. GO JUSTIN, GO DODGERS!!! GO AWAY ROB!!!

  7. I can’t believe that any one JT was exposed to after the game wouldn’t have already been exposed to him before and/or during the game – prolly why the players weren’t worried about it, mask or not!

    How did JT contract the virus? Any news on contact tracing or anything else on that front? Was it a false positive? Has he and everyone that was exposed to him (on both teams and others) been tested? How is he doing, if he indeed has Covid-19?

    I think all of this is over-hyped regardless as JT would have already previously been exposed to almost everyone BEFORE the celebration anyhow. Plus, why in he world would MLB have a testing program that reveals results DURING a game – it’s too LATE Manfred!!! Ridiculous!!!

    1. Exactly! It’s MLB who is led by a nincompoop. He is not fair and clearly does not like the Dodgers. Justin has gotten a bad rap over this. Who brought it in? He is home now, had no symptoms and so far, no one has tested positive. Was this a false positive? Could have been. Now that all the team is out of the soft bubble, traveling and whatever, the first person that tests positive will give MLB ammo! Hope they all are limiting their contacts socially.

  8. That’s now 3 guys coming out and exposing the truth but we need even more people. Expose the fake news media in mlb and hypocrites

  9. P.S. I just read Houston Mitchell’s weekly letter. A fan asked Jorge if Justin coming out on the field would have anything to do with Justin be resigned. They question stated “All the disappointed fans”… Really?!? You’re dammed if you do, and dammed if you don’t, in the Hollywood fan based public. Again, as I have said before, go to San Fransico and turn Orange and Black. With fans like you, who needs YOU!!

  10. Justin was out on field for pregame I assume and was out on field and in dugout thru at least 6 th inning . hello he was positive that whole time so for him to come out after game all his team members had already been exposed prior to that {and by the way that was not justins fault} so what THE HELL IS THE BIG DEAL!!!! its not like hecheated to win a world series like the whole ASTROS ORGANIZATION DID and got no penalty for it.

  11. First of all – from what I saw JT was taking pictures. You can’t get the virus simply by being around someone that has it. He was not laughing, talking or spitting into the air so people could contract the virus. Get a grip people. You love to make something out of nothing. He worked hard to get to where they were, he was a big part of it. You are quick to throw somebody away and cast your stones.

  12. Like the Astros and Red Sox cheating scandal this is yet another horrifically mishandled situation by Rob Manfred and MLB.

    Specifically the pulling of Turner DURING the game in the 8th inning is way TOO LATE and a bizarre over-reaction..What if others, several others, on either team were also just known to be positive that night? Would they immediately be pulled out of the game too? This was complete panic, knee-jerk and PR based CYA reaction by MLB. They could have just told Turner (and others if necessary) and had him wear a mask except when at his position at 3B and finish the game, if it went to a Game 7 he would then be ineligible.

    Manfred has once again proven he is a horrific executive who is not capable of handling problems.

  13. He didn’t all of a sudden become infected With COVID-19 or infectious once his positive test was revealed during games six. He had an elevated viral count on the previous day which spurred on the further testing the next day. All the while, Turner was hugging, high-fiving, yelling, sitting in the dugout/clubhouse/bus, celebrating etc. He was around the other players for days while he was shedding the virus up to and including the time that he left the game in the sixth inning. While we can stick to the letter of the law, pragmatically, don’t believe that any further risk was posed to those he had been around for weeks by having him celebrate with his teammates with the “piece of metal.”

    Everything has to be about a scandal and this is the scandal that MLB’s front office wants. If there is any semblance of a punishment handed down that of which is greater than what the @sstros players faced as result there bold-faced cheating (read: none), that little respect that I have for Manfred will be lost.

  14. IMO…
    To the MLB Commissioner #robertmanfred how can you possibly conduct a cross contamination investigation when JT literally played 7 innings with all his teammates, opposing team, and all others in between? You sir are just going after JT cause he voiced disagreement with the Astros “punishment” and called you out. You stood there frozen in anger as you were righteously Booed for your inaction of a group of cheaters.
    Stop using your power for self interest/agenda.
    MLB commissioner your rule should’ve been inconclusive test as well as a positive test make a player ineligible to play. But that wasn’t your rule. The MLB league rule allowed JT to play therefore exposing everyone. Him going onto the field for pictures did not re-exposed anyone…they had already been exposed based on your MLB rule.
    Seriously #robertmanfred your harassment and discrimination against the Dodgers team are clear because your actions speak louder than your words.
    Don’t agree so be it no need to reply to me…just post your opinion in the comments like I did. Thx.

  15. Why is no one asking HOW Justin Turner was exposed and tested positive? He did not leave the bubble. Perhaps from someone in the media, league officials, umpires, etc. You know, the ones Joe Kelly said were not always bubble-bound.

    Of course ESPN lackeys Buster Olney and Tim Kurkjian were spouting their holier-than-thou garbage condemning JT, likely coming directly from MLB. These two clowns were among many fear mongering before the start of the aborted season, saying baseball would shut down and had no chance of finishing the playoffs. The sky is falling!

  16. Good for you Treinen. You have to stand up for your family, and the truth. Manfred has no credibility. That’s why he was booed during the award ceremony. But you have credibility for standing up for your teammates. Hope you resign with the Dodgers. Stick around and win another championship

  17. No matter what the circumstances, it was the World Series. You just won the World Series! In a mentally, physically and an emotionally trying post season, how could anyone expect him not to want to celebrate with his baseball family. Just like with any job. You’re around the people you work with sometimes more than you’re with your own family. If he was truly positive, others would’ve gotten it already.
    I’d have done the same thing. So fine me. It’s not a law, it’s a suggested precaution to quarantine or distance yourself. Go Dodgers! Congratulations! Thanks for a great season in a totally crazy 2020!

  18. When I was 12 and a Little League slugger I was waiting to catch the ferry boat to Martha’s Vineyard. It was 1961. Across The Steamship Authority’s ticket office, standing in a little shop was a well dressed man I thought I recognized. I walked across the lobby and started to ask, “Aren’t you …” but before I could finish he interrupted me, whispering, “Yes, I am.” That dynamic moment blew away any thought of asking Jackie Robinson for his autograph. He didn’t want big attention, he’s had plenty of it.

    I ADMIRE Justin Turner. What a wonderful career turn-around he worked so hard for, and realized. If only he had just kept his mask on as he posed with the team, walked around, celebrated. Should it ruin things for him? No, we all make mistakes. It would have been better for us all if he’d kept it on.

  19. Y. Lira – Well said!
    Scotty Wayne – Thank you!!
    And to all the others who backed Justin Turner: THANK YOU, too!!

    Mr. Manfred – You gave shame to the name of baseball with your “no punishment for the Astros”. Please resign and spare yourself from further humiliation regarding the Piece of Metal. Justin Turner is a credit to baseball….You are an embarrassment,

  20. I can certainly understand Justin Turner asking if he could join the celebrations. This may have been a once in a lifetime event for him. While I can appreciate his desire to celebrate, I can not agree to the subsequent actions. However, MLB can’t punish him for potentially exposing others to the virus. We can’t expect any player to be held to a standard higher than our own. We aren’t punishing patients for exposing others to the virus. The only ground MLB can stand on is disobeying the rules that had set when testing positive. However, if MLB representatives granted Justin clearance to celebrate and escorted him out there, it doesn’t seem like they should set any punitive actions. In fact, if MLB reps did grant clearance, that action would be a PR nightmare for allowing him to return to the field and then throwing him under the bus when people criticized Justin Turner (in addition to answering to why the “bubble” had failed which has implications for 2021 season). Here’s hoping all involved are safe, that people remember to quarantine themselves if they are sick or have close contact with the virus and that bubbles are bound to fail unless your bubble is absolutely isolated rather than an extended Venn diagram.

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