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Justin Turner is back in the starting lineup on Saturday against the Royals at Dodger Stadium, as the Dodgers look for a fifth straight win.
Turner got a day off on Friday to some extent, not starting the series opener, though he did draw a pinch-hit walk in the eighth inning.
At .380/.477/.566, Turner is nearly a lock to end the weekend with the highest Dodgers batting average at the All-Star break in franchise history. The current record is .368, by Dixie Walker in 1946.
Starting lineups
| Pos | Royals | Pos | Dodgers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Royals | Pos | Dodgers |
| 2B | Merrifield | 2B | Utley (L) |
| RF | Bonifacio | SS | Seager (L) |
| CF | Cain | 3B | Turner |
| 1B | Hosmer (L) | 1B | Bellinger (L) |
| C | Perez | LF | Taylor |
| 3B | Moustakas (L) | CF | Pederson (L) |
| SS | Escobar | C | Grandal (S) |
| LF | Gordon (L) | RF | Puig |
| P | Kennedy | P | McCarthy |
Turner will also likely enter the break leading the National League in both batting average and on-base percentage, despite falling short of the required plate appearances. The number to qualify through Sunday for Dodgers will be 279 plate appearances, and Turner at the moment is at 265.
But adding the required missing at-bats to Turner’s total — eight at the moment — still has him ahead of the listed leaders in batting average (Daniel Murphy at .341) and on-base percentage (Paul Goldschmidt at 429).
Since returning from the disabled list on June 9 is hitting .383/.515/.691 in 24 games.
Turner is 8-for-16 with four doubles and a walk in his career against Royals starter Ian Kennedy.
That is the only switch in the Dodgers’ lineup on Saturday. Logan Forsythe, who started at the hot corner on Friday, sits on Saturday with Chase Utley at second base. Utley is 6-for-17 (.353) with a home run, a double, and a walk against Kennedy.
Kansas City made one lineup change. Jorge Bonifacio gets the start in right field, with Whit Merrifield moving to second base as Ramon Torres — who started at second base Friday — sits.