Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner was pulled late in Game 6 of the World Series after testing positive for COVID-19.
Turner started the game and went 0-for-3 before a defensive replacement took over for him at the start of the eighth inning at Arlington, Texas.
The announcement about the positive test was made on the FOX broadcast after the Dodgers beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-1 to win the championship.
According to ESPN, Turner’s COVID-19 test from Monday was found to be inconclusive during the second inning Tuesday. At that point, per the report, Turner’s Tuesday sample arrived and was checked. When the positive test was confirmed, MLB informed the Dodgers to remove Turner from the game.
Turner tweeted postgame, “Thanks to everyone reaching out! I feel great, no symptoms at all. Just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine. Can’t believe I couldn’t be out there to celebrate with my guys! So proud of this team & unbelievably happy for the City of LA #WorldSeriesChamps”
MLB played the final three rounds of the playoffs in neutral-site “bubbles” in San Diego, Los Angeles, Houston and Arlington, going 59 consecutive days without a positive test, dating back into he regular season, before Tuesday.
Commissioner Rob Manfred said on FOX regarding Turner’s positive test, “It’s a bittersweet night for us.”
The news about Turner didn’t even reach his teammates immediately. Dodgers center fielder Cody Bellinger said, “I found out in the top of the ninth. (Edwin) Rios fielded a ground ball (at third base in the eighth), I didn’t even know Rios was in the game. … Yeah, that was a shock to me.”
Turner went 8-for-25 (.320) with two homers and two RBIs in the World Series. He had a four-hit night in Game 4 on Sunday.
–Field Level Media
