Turnaround for Justin Turner

Justin Turner hit two home runs on Sunday to help the Dodgers clinch a 10th consecutive playoff berth, one of only three major league teams to do so. Turner’s turnaround is the focus of Monday morning’s Leading Off with True Blue LA podcast.

Turner was struggling mightily, with just an 82 wRC+ during his first 69 games, but some mechanical changes helped Turner to rediscover his usual, productive self. Since June 30, Turner is hitting a whopping .371/.440/.616 with eight home runs and 12 doubles in 43 games. Only Aaron Judge has a higher OPS in MLB during that time.

The timing of that turnaround might be coincidental. But it started with two home runs off Padres right-hander Joe Musgrove, who said of Turner after the start — a 3-1 Dodgers win — “I don’t what his numbers are against me. ... When he’s in the box, I don’t feel like he’s a huge threat.”

Turner homered again off Musgrove on Sunday, and added a grand slam off Craig Stammen to blow the game open. The Dodgers are back in the postseason, and with a magic number of two, they will clinch their ninth division title in 10 years any day now. Maybe even Tuesday.

After a weekend that saw Blake Treinen land back on the injured list, this week figures to bring decisions on a few pitchers. Tommy Kahnle, Victor González, and Danny Duffy are all on the 60-day injured list, and their rehab assignments are up soon.

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Episode link (time: 21:42)