NL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES: BRAVES VS DODGERS

October 20, 2021

Justin Turner

Dodger Stadium

Los Angeles Dodgers

Pregame 4 Press Conference

Q. How is your neck and how did it happen?

JUSTIN TURNER: My neck's doing better. And it happened in BP that first game in Atlanta, just took a swing and felt a kind of a jolt down the back of my neck and tried taking another round and it just kept getting tighter and tighter, so...

Q. I know this is the postseason, completely different than the regular season. Towards the end of the season we talk about the team's offense and how it picked up, especially during the Padres series. Does yesterday feel the same as that big comeback?

JUSTIN TURNER: The comeback yesterday?

Q. Yeah.

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, I think it's something we talk about all the time. As long as we have outs to play with, we like our chances, and you saw it last night, just didn't look like there was much going and then all of a sudden in that 8th inning Smitty gets on, shoots a ball down the line. AJ finds a hole and then next thing you know the offense gets going.

So obviously we would like to do that a little earlier in the game, but that's why we play nine innings.

Q. So is it like totally muscular or is there any disk involvement with the neck?

JUSTIN TURNER: Well, I haven't gotten any pictures or anything, but I don't think it's disk. I think it's all muscular.

Q. Also, where did you get that awesome shirt?

JUSTIN TURNER: You know, ever since I've been with the Dodgers these things just show up in the clubhouse and get passed around, so, and it is one of my favorite ones.

Q. Can you talk about the influence that Albert has had on this team?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah. Since day one he's had a huge impact on all of us in there, just his leadership, his experience, work ethic. And the way he goes about his business, he sets an example for everyone.

Then also just watching how much he enjoys the game and how excited he is for everyone. I've said it probably a hundred times, when you see him at the end of the dugout after a guy hits a homer it's almost like he's more happy and than the guy that hit the homer, just waiting to give you a big hug. So he's been great for everyone and he just brings so much to this team.

Q. It seems like you guys have adopted the mentality just backs to the wall. It seems like every time that's happened you guys have come through really big. Have you guys embraced that or even think about that on a higher level?

JUSTIN TURNER: I mean, obviously I don't think that's how you draw it up. It would be a lot easier if we just won four in a row and didn't have to worry about it.

But it is a seven-game series. A lot can happen throughout that seven games. There's momentum shifts all the time, so you just can't take anything for granted. You can't take any lead for granted. You got to show up and play and add on and score as many runs as you possibly can because no one's just going to fold, especially in the playoffs, especially in this part of the postseason. So every out's important, every run's important, and you just got to keep going.

Q. As far as Mookie Betts, how much has he been impactful just not on the field but in the locker room as well?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, I mean, he's a game-changer in all facets, defensively, base running, with a bat, hit for power, he really does it all. He kind of sets the tone for us at the top of the lineup. He's been great for us for two years now, just doing his thing and kind of setting the tone for us and we're happy that he's in Dodger blue.

Q. I was going to ask about Mookie. To follow up on that, you've played with obviously Albert, Kershaw, all these great names. Is there anything different about the way Mookie Betts kind of conducts himself or the things he does that you think make him successful?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, I think one thing that is very common for a lot of those guys that you just named is the obsession with perfection and great necessary and I think that's Mookie. You go in the cage at any point in the day and he's in there hitting and hitting and hitting and if it's not perfect he doesn't like it. So he's just addicted to working.

Q. The results for you personally haven't been great during the postseason. Is there something in particular you're working through or fighting against?

JUSTIN TURNER: I think it's just baseball. I think you go through ups and downs. Obviously it's not ideal at this point in the season to not be getting results, but you just keep showing up and keep working and keep grinding through it and trust the process.

You take a look at the season that Bellinger's had and there's a lot of negative stuff out there about what he did and now you look at him in the postseason and you can basically say he's single-handedly the reason we're in this position right now that we're in.

So it's just part of the season. There's ups and downs and you just continue to trust the process, continue to show up, and keep working.

Q. Braves are going with a bullpen game. To my knowledge, they haven't even listed the starter who is going to start the game. How is preparing for a bullpen game different than a traditional game?

JUSTIN TURNER: It's not really that different, especially since we have seen almost all of their bullpen arms already. I think Smyly and Ynoa are the two guys we haven't seen yet and obviously I haven't heard who they're starting either, but anticipate those two guys trying to cover the bulk of the load. So we'll get ready for those two guys and see what happens after that.

Q. Does it present a unique challenge facing a different guy every single at-bat?

JUSTIN TURNER: Yeah, it's a little different. Obviously the more times you see a guy, especially consecutively, the more information you get and the easier it is to put together a plan.

But like I said, we've faced a lot of these guys in their bullpen over the last three games and we've faced them a lot over the last couple years, so everyone knows kind of how they want to attack you, how they're going to get you out, and you just take it one at a time.