Turner powers Jays over Rockies
Justin Turner was signed by the Blue Jays in the offseason to add a reliable bat and experience to Toronto’s clubhouse. He’s delivered on both so far, but he believes the best is yet to come.
Turner went three for four at the plate and drove in three runs as the Blue Jays shut out the Colorado Rockies, 5-0, on Sunday. Toronto scored 14 runs in the three-game series and Turner said that shows a lot of promise.
“The offence is kind of scratching the surface,” said Turner. “I think there’s a whole lot more in the tank and, when we get going and clicking on all cylinders, it’s going to be a fun offence to be a part of.”
Turner signed a one-year, $13-million (U.S.) deal with the Blue Jays on Jan. 30.
That investment has paid off for Toronto, as Turner is hitting .386 with an OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) of 1.095 and eight RBIs. He leads the Blue Jays in all three statistical categories, with leftfielder Davis Schneider tied for the lead in RBIs.
Turner was a two-time all-star with the L.A. Dodgers. He was a co-winner of the National League Championship Series MVP award in 2017 and won a World Series with the Dodgers in 2020.
After the win, Toronto manager John Schneider said the 39-yearold slugger has been like an extra hitting coach for some of the younger players in the clubhouse.
“I just speak from my experience and I have a lot of history against a lot of guys in this league,” said Turner. “So game planning and talking about approaches and different swing thoughts that maybe some guys haven’t heard before.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added an RBI single in the third inning as Toronto (8-8) won back-to-back games. Isiah Kiner-Falefa drove in another run with a base hit of his own in the eighth.
José Berrios (3-0) struck out seven in seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball. Genesis Cabrera and Nate Pearson preserved Berrios’s win with two scoreless innings of relief.
Berrios has a 1.05 earned-run average over 25 ⅔ innings this season with 21 strikeouts. It’s one of the strongest starts the 29-year-old right-hander has had in his eight Major League Baseball seasons.