NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES VS DODGERS

October 15, 2021

Justin Turner

Truist Park

Los Angeles Dodgers

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. Do you go back and think about or reminisce about the play you made here, that great diving stop to start a double play, not here I guess, but against the Braves last year? Do you have pictures or still photographs or anything to remember that play by?

JUSTIN TURNER: Well, I hadn't thought about it in a while until you just brought it up, but I do get tagged with that play a bunch on social media, and, yeah, I do hear about it quite a bit. And they play it, they play replays of it on the scoreboard in L.A. all the time, so, yeah.

Q. When you see a picture of it, what do you think?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, so that was a wild series last year, obviously. A lot of defensive plays that really gave us the opportunity to go to Game 7 and win that game.

Q. So turning your focus over to Atlanta, how would you describe the challenge and what do they present in terms of the challenge?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, obviously it's not going to be as much familiarity as we had with the Giants, but a lot of familiarity with the seven games we played against them last year and having the opportunity to play them here and at home this year, which is different than last year.

So probably just looking forward to another great series. They probably have a bit of a bad taste in their mouth coming into this and are going to play with some purpose and we got to be ready for that.

Q. How was last night and sort of turnaround going across the country having to play tomorrow?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, last night was great. We went in the locker room. We celebrated, did the champagne, and then went back to the hotel. They had a little outdoor tent set up for us with some food, and just kind of hung out. It was very low key. It was almost the opposite of what we experienced after every round in the bubble last year, which felt more like a big party.

But we also knew we had an early flight today, so it was pretty mild. They didn't even let us turn the music on. They yelled at us for the music. They said no music after 10:00.

Q. Does the feeling of what you just described and even just being here, does it change? Does it become more businesslike when you are in this spot pretty much every year, and you've, obviously coming off a win as well?

JUSTIN TURNER: I don't think it's something you take for granted. One, just making the playoffs. I think that's something that's really, really difficult to do. We certainly don't take it for granted.

Then obviously moving through each round is really difficult as well. I mean, we have experienced it for my eight years, the first four unable to get to the World Series, then making it twice and losing twice, and then finally two years after that or last year, I guess, being able to accomplish it.

So nothing's taken lightly, nothing's taken for granted, so we celebrate each one of those steps that we take and enjoy it in that moment and then the next day it's time to prepare for whatever's in front of us next.

Q. On that, like when you're in a game like last night where it's sort of back and forth and the whole series went back and forth, does that postseason experience help you guys as far as staying calm, staying in that moment being able to maybe come through in that sort of situation?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, I think so. I think there was a certain sense of calmness among everyone, just knowing the way we were lined up with our arms coming out of the bullpen, kind of knowing how it was unfolding.

Obviously the huge momentum swing when Mookie got the hit and stole second and then Seager hits the double down the left field line. It felt like that was the game-breaker right there and then they come right back and punch us right in the face and Ruf hits the home run, so it's back to scrapping.

And then, I don't know, we've been in, we have been in it a lot and even the new guys that we've brought in have a lot of playoff experience. So I definitely think it helps in those situations.

Q. Just today, have you been able to sort of reminisce like maybe how crazy and how all eyes were on that series, how important that series was to so many people? And Vin Scully before the game said it was the most important game in the rivalry's history?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, I read Vin's tweet and I think it was, per usual, as Vin always is, was right on the pulse of it. And I think what was special, even more special about yesterday's game, a Game 5 elimination game against these two great rivalries, first time meeting, was it was the only game of the day on and I feel like that's how it should have been, right?

I don't know what the ratings were. I'm sure someone posted them somewhere, but I would like to think that there was a lot of people in the country tuned in to watch that one. And, I mean, it wasn't obviously an offensive display, by any means, but I'm pretty sure everyone who was watching it was on the edge of their seats.

Q. Is it going to be weird watching seeing Joc on the other side in a playoff series and has anyone talked to him?

JUSTIN TURNER: We FaceTimed him the other day to ask him what's going on with this pearl necklace he's wearing, but, no, I mean, we played him I think twice with the Cubs and a third time when he was with the Braves already, so no, it will be fun, it will be fun to go to battle and compete against him.