Dodgers and MLB Equally to Blame in Justin Turner’s COVID-19 Protocol Breach
By: Lily Seibert
Tags: World Series, Justin Turner, Coronavirus, Dodgers

As the Los Angeles Dodgers poured out of the dugout and bullpen in the wake of Julio Urias’ final called strike against the Tampa Bay Rays, granting them their first World Series win since 1988, nothing seemed out of place. That is, until cameras focused in on an unkempt, crimson beard celebrating amongst the throngs of players, coaches, and executives. It belonged to Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner, who had been mysteriously absent for the last few innings of the game.

Turner was ordered to exit the game in the 7th when his COVID-19 test came back positive. He complied and isolated himself in a nearby doctor’s office until the Dodgers claimed victory, when he raced back out onto the field and could be seen hugging his teammates and clutching the World Series trophy. At one point, the organization gathered together for a group photo, and Turner removed his mask not six inches away from the nearest Dodger.

ESPN reporter Stephen A. Smith was quick to point out that Turner had already spent the past several hours with his teammates. While that may be true, scientists have long reiterated that the more time someone spends in the presence of an infected individual, the more opportunity they have to catch the virus. Plus, the field was also filled with reporters, photographers, and the families of the players, who were likely being exposed to Turner that night for the first time.

Turner’s re-entry may seem like little more than an ill-advised, individual decision he made out of pure desperation to celebrate the victory with his teammates. However, the forces that allowed him to return extend much further outward. Reports say that the league was aware that Turner’s test had come back “inconclusive” in the 2nd inning and immediately relayed the information to the Dodgers’ management. However, Turner didn’t exit until five innings later, after the test was expedited and came back positive. Several reporters and fans pointed out the futility of receiving results after the game had already started, wondering if it were simply an empty gesture to fulfill the protocol rather than protect players from harm.

Had Turner been forced to leave the premises entirely, he wouldn’t have even faced the temptation to storm back onto the field and fraternize with his teammates. Authorities of both the team and the league were well within their right to take further action. However, they chose to leave the decision up to Turner himself. Some reports even claim that Dodgers higher-ups permitted Turner to be on the field for the team photo, assuring one another they would insist he leave afterward.

Inaction surrounding positive COVID-19 cases in MLB teams is far from a problem specific to the Dodgers. In late July, the Miami Marlins reported that three members of their squad had tested positive. The team’s management assured the general public that they had quarantined infected individuals, implemented daily testing, and were generally taking the situation very seriously. However, Commissioner Rob Manfred still allowed the team to go forward and play their scheduled game against the Philadelphia Phillies. He cited “temperature checks” as the reason that they decided to proceed, as if fevers were the strongest indication of someone’s ability to transmit the virus. Within days, the number of positive cases on the Marlins had risen to 20.

When Manfred was asked on The Daily podcast about Nationals star outfielder Juan Soto testing positive ahead of the season opener, he responded that “we knew we were going to have positives . . . The whole point is you have a system that’s flexible enough to deal with what’s coming. We knew it was coming.”

Many are convinced that professional athletes’ superior fitness levels make them less prone to a serious bout of COVID-19, and therefore seem to advocate for more lenient protocols. While several of the MLB players who were infected seem to have recovered without significant inconvenience, not all have been so fortunate. Red Sox pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was unable to play this year after developing myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscles, from the virus. Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman suffered a 104-degree fever at the height of his illness, reporting that he prayed for God not to take his life. Multiple journalists have shared stories of professional athletes who now question their future in their sport due to COVID-19 complications.

If the MLB wants to retain any sense of credibility going forward, they should refrain from pretending to care about the health and safety of the players and instead be transparent about what they are: a profit-driven organization that has operated entirely out of their fear of sacrificing ratings to the virus by forgoing the 2020 season.

Perhaps the most common argument that people have used in defense of Turner’s actions is the fact that he had contributed so much to the team that it just wasn’t fair for him to miss the season’s culmination. However, it also wasn’t fair for millions of people to miss the plethora of events that were inaccessible throughout 2020, including weddings, graduations, births, and, most significantly, the deaths of loved ones who passed alone in hospitals. In fact, one of the reasons that the pandemic has persisted into the fall is because of people who simply can’t stand to miss things, and therefore crowd into bars, restaurants, and houses to retain some sense of normalcy. Watching the Dodgers mob one another on the field, it’s easy to forget, for a second, about the massive amount of death that has occurred in the last several months outside of the stadium walls. While baseball has served as a welcome haven for many during an otherwise devastating year, it’s the behavior of people like Turner, the Dodgers, and Manfred that reminds us we’re not even close to getting out.