Fans who have followed the Dodgers through their first week of Spring Training games have been treated to some phenomenal glovework by 36-year-old/12 year MLB veteran third baseman Justin Turner; we’re talking Gold Glove-caliber glovework here. Those fans are keenly aware that the Long Beach, CA native and seventh-round draft pick in 2006 by the Cincinnati Reds out of Cal State Fullerton started back-to-back games on Friday and Saturday but was given Sunday off.

It’s hard to argue that this is sound logic for a guy who is closer to 40 than 30, especially this early in Spring Training. But what about later in the Spring and into the regular season? Is Dodgers manager Dave Roberts planning to use his All-Star, 2017 NLCS co-MVP, and 2020 World Series champion third baseman the same way once the games count?

“I wouldn’t say that,” Roberts answered when asked this very question during his Zoom media briefing before Sunday’s game. “Obviously, a lot is contingent on how Justin is feeling. But knowing the long season, the grind of the season, and we also have somebody right next to him in Edwin Rios that I really want to keep him involved and getting at-bats regularly. So I think it’s a great situation to keep Justin fresh, but right now, I just don’t know exactly how that’s going to work.”

Fair enough.

But there is another element in play here. In addition to Rios, Roberts has also used Sheldon Neuse and Chris Taylor at the hot corner through the first week of Spring Training games – both of whom are on the Dodgers 40-man roster. And even though Neuse isn’t a lock to make the Dodgers Opening Day roster, Taylor absolutely will.

But any way you slice it, and as Roberts astutely noted, “…it’s a great situation to keep Justin fresh.”

Great indeed.

Play Ball!

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