WASHINGTON — They played a tribute video on the scoreboard at Nationals Park before Monday’s game, saluting two members of the 2019 World Series champions, Trea Turner and Daniel Hudson, who returned as Dodgers.
Both tipped their caps to the sparse crowd, Turner getting a second ovation when he came to the plate for the first time. The memories from his first seven years in the big leagues are special, Turner acknowledged – but getting too emotional about something like a return to Nationals Park is not his style.
“I try to keep an even keel, don’t get too high or too low,” Turner said before Monday’s game. “Just everyday life, I enjoy each and every moment and then move on, continue to try to have fun.
“But yeah, moments like that, when you look back and think about what you’ve been through and where you come from – it’s definitely special. I’m not out here crying. I don’t feel emotional about it. But it’s just who I am, just trying to take it moment by moment.”
If the Nats’ World Series victory was a moment Turner will never forget, so was last year’s abrupt end to his career in Washington. Turner has said he was surprised to be part of the off-loading portion of the Nationals’ rebuilding project.
“I don’t know if it took a while to come to grips, I just think it caught me a little off guard,” he said Monday. “Max (Scherzer) had to waive his no-trade clause and some of the relievers had one-year deals. But I didn’t necessarily know I was going to get traded until the week of (the trade deadline). So it caught me a little off guard.
“But I don’t think it was a bad thing by any means because I ended in a really good spot with a really good team and a chance to win more World Series. It’s been fun. It’s been good. But it did catch me a little off guard last year.”
The Nationals’ decision to trade Turner last year was based on their inability to make any headway on a contract extension with him. Turner is now a year closer to free agency with no ongoing extension talks between him and the Dodgers.
“I think me being in control is going to be the difference,” Turner said of the potential for another relocation. “The first six, seven, eight years of your career, you’re not in control. I’ve been traded twice now and the first time caught me off guard as well (a year after being drafted by the San Diego Padres). I think every trade, at least for me, has caught me off guard so I guess that’s how it works.
“But just having more control (as a free agent) and I guess more of the decision is on my shoulders, my family’s shoulders and do what’s best for us. Whatever that is, that is. But there’s a lot more baseball before then and we’ll see what happens.”
HEANEY PROGRESS
Left-hander Andrew Heaney threw another bullpen session Monday afternoon, this time simulating an inning break halfway through throwing approximately 30-35 pitches.
“We’ll see what the next progression is but the velocity was good, the spin, all that stuff was great,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
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Heaney could throw another bullpen session or face hitters as his next step depending on how he feels after Monday’s work.
“It’s going to be one of those where tomorrow when he comes in we’ll see how he feels,” Roberts said. “If it’s facing hitters, great. If it’s another ’pen and we have to do that, then we’ll do that. I think it’s all contingent on how he feels tomorrow.”
Heaney has been out with a sore shoulder since making his second start of the season on April 17. He will go on a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment before returning to the Dodgers’ rotation.
UP NEXT
Dodgers (RHP Walker Buehler, 5-1, 2.89 ERA) at Nationals (RHP Josiah Gray, 4-3, 4.36 ERA), Tuesday, 4 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM