MLB Says Dodgers' Justin Turner Broke COVID-19 Protocol

By Lauren Berg
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Law360 (October 28, 2020, 7:46 PM EDT) -- Following the Los Angeles Dodgers' World Series victory against the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night, third baseman Justin Turner violated coronavirus protocols when he celebrated on the field with his teammates after testing positive for the virus and refusing to isolate, Major League Baseball said Wednesday.

Turner was pulled from the Series' sixth game during the eighth inning after his coronavirus test came back positive, according to CBS Sports. He was placed in isolation to avoid infecting anyone around him, MLB said, but after the Dodgers' victory, Turner returned to the field to celebrate with his team.

Photos and video from the celebration show Turner periodically taking off his face mask to take photos and hug his teammates.

MLB said it is investigating the matter.

"While a desire to celebrate is understandable, Turner's decision to leave isolation and enter the field was wrong and put everyone he came in contact with at risk," MLB said. "When MLB Security raised the matter of being on the field with Turner, he emphatically refused to comply."

MLB said nasal swabs were conducted on the Dodgers' traveling party Tuesday night and that both the Rays and Dodgers players were tested again Wednesday. The organization said the players' travel back to their home cities will be determined after "being approved by the appropriate authorities."

Following the positive test result Tuesday, Turner took to Twitter and said he has no symptoms and feels "great."

"Can't believe I couldn't be out there to celebrate with my guys," Turner wrote.

LA Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was removed from the final game of the World Series Tuesday night after testing positive for coronavirus. Turner tweeted his disappointment before allegedly breaking protocol and celebrating with his teammates.


Shortly after he posted the tweet, however, Turner returned to the field and was carrying around the Commissioner's Trophy and taking photos with the team.

Contact information for the Dodgers and Turner was not immediately available.

Following Tuesday's game, Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers president of baseball operations, told reporters that he didn't think there was anyone who was going to stop Turner from going out on the field to celebrate with his teammates, according to CNN. Friedman told reporters that Turner was careful not to come into contact with anyone he hadn't already been near.

"If there are people around him without masks, that's not good optics at all," Friedman said, adding that he was "not sure" if the Dodgers would be able to travel back to Los Angeles from their bubble in Texas.

To protect players and their families from the virus, MLB held a portion of the postseason at neutral "playoff bubbles" in Los Angeles, San Diego, Houston and Arlington, Texas.

This is the first time since 1988 that the Dodgers have won the World Series.

--Editing by Orlando Lorenzo.

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