Justin Turner Downplays Home Runs Off Padres’ Joe Musgrove

Justin Turner added to what’s been a torrid two months by slugging a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, to help lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 11-2 win over the San Diego Padres that clinched a postseason berth.

The multi-home run game was Turner’s second of the season and 13th in his career. Both such games this season have not only come against the Padres, but in Joe Musgrove starts. It’s noteworthy in that Musgrove made dismissive comments about Turner despite his two home runs on June 30.

“I don’t know what his numbers are against me. When he’s in the box, I don’t feel like he’s a huge threat,” Musgrove said after Turner was instrumental in a Dodgers win that night.

“He’s a good hitter, he’s done a lot of damage to the teams I’ve been on in the past. But out of all the guys in the lineup, I didn’t feel like he was a huge threat. I just didn’t execute pitches very well and he put good swings on them.”.

Musgrove has allowed three of the four long balls Turner has hit in his multi-homer games. However, Turner brushed aside the idea that Sunday’s performance could be a result of motivation from the criticism, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:

“I’m not worried about what’s going on over there. I’m worried about our guys in here and winning ballgames,” Turner said.

“I mean, yeah, I think it is coincidence. Otherwise, I’d have asked people to say stuff about me a lot sooner in the year and I’d have a lot better season going. Like I said, I don’t pay attention to what’s going on in other people’s houses. Just worry about our business, take care of our stuff in here.”

In 43 games since Musgrove’s comments, Turner is batting .371/.440/.616 with 12 doubles, eight home runs and 37 RBI.

His home runs in the series finale at Petco Park were Turner’s first on the road this season. He nearly checked that box off on two separate occasions Saturday night, but drives to the right-center field gap were caught at the warning track.

Justin Turner ignored Joe Musgrove’s comments

When asked about Musgrove’s comments at the time, Turner declined to engage.

“I’m not going to answer that,” he said. “I’m not going to get into that. Just, whatever.”

Turner is 6-for-14 (.429 batting average) with three home runs, five RBI and a 1.571 on-base plus slugging percentage in in his career against Musgrove.