Justin Turner of the Los Angeles Dodgers is the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award. The honor goes to a player who “best demonstrates extraordinary character and community involvement along with philanthropy and positive contributions on and off the field.” Each winner is determined by the Commissioner, Clemente’s children, former players and journalists. Furthermore, fans were given the opportunity to vote for the winner.
The third baseman will be presented with the awarded before Game 3 of the World Series. A five-time nominee, the 37-year-old is the second Dodger to win. He joins Steve Garvey (1981) and Clayton Kershaw (2012) as the only other Dodgers to win the award.
Your 2022 Roberto Clemente Award recipient is Justin Turner.
His unwavering effort and tireless commitment to community continues to change lives throughout Los Angeles. pic.twitter.com/SinKhN37zU
— MLB (@MLB) October 31, 2022
Justin Turner Foundation
Over the years, Turner has been one of the most crucial pieces to the Dodgers on and off the field. In 2016, Turner and his wife, Kourtney, founded the Justin Turner Foundation. The mission is to support homeless veterans, children, and families fighting life-altering diseases and illnesses and youth baseball organizations. They frequently visit patients at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. Turner continues his involvement with The Dream Center, a resource center in Los Angeles that supports the homeless and hungry. With his efforts, it supplies food to more than 60 food banks in the Los Angeles area. In addition, the center renamed its food bank after Turner and his wife last year.
Turner is in a wait-and-see situation. He has yet to know whether or not the Dodgers will keep him in 2023. He’s eligible to become a free agent after the World Series if the Dodgers decline a $16 million option in favor of a $2 million buyout. When he arrived in Los Angeles as a free agent in February 2014, he was a journeyman infielder fighting for a significant role in the majors. Once he improved his swing, he established himself as a two-time All-Star and a World Series champion.
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Players mentioned:
Justin Turner, Roberto Clemente, Steve Garvey, Clayton Kershaw
