Source: Robert Gauthier / Getty
The Los Angeles Dodgers have won their first World Series since 1988 after 32 years and waiting.
During the historic night for the Dodgers, their starting third basemen, Justin Turner, was pulled after the seventh inning of the game because it was determined that he tested positive for the coronavirus. Turner, who has been a member of the Dodgers since 2014, has been to the World Series twice before, once in 2017 and again in 2018, falling short both times. So when his team was able to seal the deal there was no way he was planning on missing the celebration.
News of Turner’s positive test did not come out until after the celebrations were already done. He later made a tweet thanking everyone for checking on him and expressed his regret that he couldn’t be out there celebrating with his team.
The odd thing is, he was seen in pictures and videos celebrating the World Series championship with his team and kissing his wife.
ESPN’s Jeff Passan tweeted that the Dodgers would be given rapid testing when they got back to the hotel and it would be determined at a later time if they would remain in Dallas, or travel back to Los Angeles.
Rob Manfred, Commissioner of the MLB had mixed feelings about the situation.
“It’s a bittersweet night for us,” MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said during a FOX interview following the game. “We’re glad to be done. I do think it’s a great accomplishment for our players to get this season completed, but obviously we’re concerned when any of our players test positive. We learned during the game that Justin was positive and immediately isolated him to prevent the spread.
It should be no surprise that Turner tried to make his way on to the field, Turner has been in the league for 10 seasons and this is his first world championship. But according to Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Turner was careful not to interact with anyone he had not already been in contact with while playing the game.
“If there are people around him without masks, that’s not good optics at all.”
The details of what will come from this Turner situation remain to be seen in the coming days. But with the season over, at least there will no longer be delays and postponements in this weird and wacky MLB season.
