By Jon Weisman
Justin Turner’s 2016 Cactus League debut could hardly have gone better.
In the Dodgers’ 6-2 victory over Milwaukee today, Turner — playing his first Spring Training game following offseason surgery on his left knee — doubled in a run and scored in the first inning and made a clean defensive play at third base in the second inning. In the third, Turner walked, then scored all the way from first base on an Adrian Gonzalez double, sliding smoothly at home plate.
“I’m still standing,” said Turner, according to Ken Gurnick of MLB.com. “Everything is a test to see how I feel on both sides of the ball. I had a little extra adrenaline with the fans in the stands. I was anxious to get back out there in a real game. Playing on the back fields is good to get the work in, but it’s not the same adrenaline and intensity with the fans in the stands. I felt great. Ran, slid into home, dove for a ball. Everything felt fine.”
Eric Stephen of True Blue L.A. has more. Assuming Turner has no ill after-affects Tuesday, he should return to game action Wednesday.
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