NEW YORK (AP) — Justin Turner will not be disciplined by Major League Baseball for coming onto the field last week to celebrate the World Series title with his Los Angeles Dodgers teammates after testing positive for COVID-19.
The third baseman was removed after seven innings of Game 6 on Oct. 27 after MLB informed the Dodgers of the test result. He returned to the field after Los Angeles won 3-1, took off his mask and posed for a photograph with teammates.
“Our investigation revealed additional relevant information that, while not exonerating Mr. Turner from responsibility for his conduct, helps put into context why he chose to leave the isolation room and return to the field,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Friday. “First, Mr. Turner’s teammates actively encouraged him to leave the isolation room and return to the field for a photograph. Many teammates felt they had already been exposed to Mr. Turner and were prepared to tolerate the additional risk.
“Second, Mr. Turner believes that he received permission from at least one Dodgers employee to return to the field to participate in a photograph. Although Mr. Turner’s belief may have been the product of a miscommunication, at least two Dodgers employees said nothing to Mr. Turner as he made his way to the field, which they admitted may have created the impression that his conduct was acceptable.
“Third, during the somewhat chaotic situation on the field, Mr. Turner was incorrectly told by an unidentified person that other players had tested positive, creating the impression in Mr. Turner’s mind that he was being singled out for isolation. Finally, Major League Baseball could have handled the situation more effectively. For example, in retrospect, a security person should have been assigned to monitor Mr. Turner when he was asked to isolate, and Mr. Turner should have been transported from the stadium to the hotel more promptly.”
Manfred said he spoke with Turner and “I am closing this matter by applauding Justin for accepting responsibility, apologizing and making a commitment to set a positive example going forward.”
Turner said he watched the final two innings with his wife Kourtney in a doctor’s office in the clubhouse and he assumed there was no objection by Dodgers officials to his returning to the field. He also said that when he returned to the field, he thought few people would be there and his plan was to take a quick photo with his wife.
“However, what was intended to be a photo capturing the two of us turned into several greetings and photos where I briefly and unwisely removed my mask,” Turner said in a statement. “I sincerely apologize to everyone on the field for failing to appreciate the risks of returning to the field. I have spoken with almost every teammate, coach, and staff member, and my intentions were never to make anyone uncomfortable or put anyone at further risk.”
MLB is making its COVID-19 testing laboratory available during the offseason for underserved areas in communities where major league teams are based.
Justin Turner's Full Statement:
In winning the World Series last Tuesday, my teammates and I delivered a championship to the city of Los Angeles after a long 32-year wait. We realized the dream of every kid who is a fan of our great game. However, it did not go the way I had dreamed or any of us would have hoped. As my teammates and I were on the verge of clinching the title, I was blindsided with the news that I had tested positive for COVID-19. I was promptly taken out of the game and my wife Kourtney was notified and immediately removed from the wives/family section at the stadium. We watched the final two innings of the game together in a doctor’s office in the back of the clubhouse.
Watching the conclusion of the game we experienced every emotion you could imagine – we were thrilled for my teammates, the Dodgers organization and all of its fans, and the city of Los Angeles, but also sad and confused with so many questions about what we were just told. It was a surreal moment. We sat and watched the celebration, the trophy presentation, and Seags win the much-deserved MVP trophy on a TV in the doctor’s office. I tweeted to assure everyone I was okay and to tell my teammates how proud of them I was that night.
I will not make excuses for my conduct, but I will describe my state of mind. Winning the World Series was my lifelong dream and the culmination of everything I worked for in my career. After waiting in the isolation room while my teammates celebrated on the field, I asked whether I was permitted to return to the field with my wife in order to take a photograph. I assumed by that point that few people were left on the field. I was under the impression that team officials did not object to my returning to the field for a picture with my wife. However, what was intended to be a photo capturing the two of us turned into several greetings and photos where I briefly and unwisely removed my mask. In hindsight, I should have waited until the field was clear of others to take that photo with my wife. I sincerely apologize to everyone on the field for failing to appreciate the risks of returning to the field. I have spoken with almost every teammate, coach, and staff member, and my intentions were never to make anyone uncomfortable or put anyone at further risk.
Kourt and I hold ourselves to the absolute highest standards. We worked diligently to comply with all of MLB’s protocols throughout the season. We were heavily involved in the planning of player/family safety to ensure the possibility of a postseason and World Series. We helped local businesses stay afloat by ordering meals to help the Dream Center of LA feed almost 1 million Angelenos during COVID lockdown. Through my foundation, I will continue to support organizations in the Los Angeles area that assist our community in the battle against the virus.
The support and love that I have received from every one of them has truly left its mark on Kourt and me, and I could not be more proud to be a part of this team.