LOS ANGELES ― In the last year, Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner has added a World Series ring and an All-Star Game appearance to his résumé in the last year.
A Roberto Clemente Award would be a fitting addition.
Turner, 36, is the Dodgers’ nominee for the award presented annually to “a player who demonstrates the values Hall of Famer Roberto Clemente displayed in his commitment to community and understanding the value of helping others.”
Clayton Kershaw (2012) and Steve Garvey (1981) are the only Dodger players who have won the award in its 40-year history.
“Something we take a lot of pride in is giving back to the community, our community, giving back to people who are less fortunate, helping people get up after getting knocked down, getting back on their feet,” Turner said on a Zoom with reporters Tuesday. “To be the nominee on this team, with a lot of guys who do a lot of things in our community, is really special and something I don’t take for granted.”
Turner started his eponymous foundation in 2016. At the time, he learned from the examples of teammates who had their own foundations regularly, namely Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw and former New York Mets third baseman David Wright.
Last year, Turner and his wife Kourtney selected different restaurants and ordered thousands of meals to be delivered to the Los Angeles Dream Center, which fed more than 12,000 individuals per day at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
More recently Turner has been a sounding board for younger teammates – including Chris Taylor – who have begun their own charity work. It’s a satisfying narrative arc for Turner, who re-signed with the Dodgers in February on a two-year, $34 million contract.
“There’s just an amazing amount of quality human beings in our clubhouse who get it, who know it’s bigger than baseball,” Turner said. “It’s good to see the younger guys following suit, and making their impact on others’ lives in any way they choose to do so.”
Turner and the other 29 nominees will be officially recognized Wednesday. Sept. 15 was established as “Roberto Clemente Day” by Major League Baseball to honor the late Hall of Famer’s legacy as a humanitarian.
Fans can vote online for the winner of the award until Oct. 3.
INJURY UPDATES
Outfielder AJ Pollock (strained right hamstring) will take simulated at-bats this weekend in Los Angeles when the rest of the team travels to Cincinnati, Manager Dave Roberts said. Then, Pollock will participate in Complex League games at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.
Taylor missed his fourth consecutive game with a neck injury. The Dodgers had three healthy position players on their bench: Albert Pujols, Matt Beaty and Austin Barnes.
Kershaw reported no ill effects one day after he threw 50 pitches across 4⅓ innings, his first start since sustaining an elbow injury on July 3. Roberts said the left-hander will take his next turn in the rotation on schedule Sunday in Cincinnati.
“He was probably more mentally and emotionally taxed than physically,” Roberts said of Kershaw.
ALSO
The Dodgers activated relief pitcher Kenley Jansen from the paternity list and optioned Mitch White to Triple-A. Jansen and his wife Gianni welcomed a baby girl, Key’Gia Keziah, on Sunday. … A video tribute to special advisor Rick Honeycutt aired before Tuesday’s game. Honeycutt, the Dodgers’ pitching coach from 2006-19, was in town after Dodger Stadium paid tribute to Tommy Lasorda on Monday. … Pitcher Max Scherzer was the Washington Nationals’ nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. The Dodgers acquired Scherzer from the Nationals as part of a four-player trade on July 30.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (LHP Julio Urías, 17-3, 2.98 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks (TBA), Wednesday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, ESPN, 570 AM
