Typically, a team celebrating a championship is a joyous event, but the Dodgers now find themselves steeped in controversy due to third baseman Justin Turner joining the team on the field for the postgame hugging and frolicking despite having tested positive for COVID-19.
Turner had tested positive on Monday and was then tested again on Tuesday to confirm, but the team had not received the results in time for the game, so he was finally pulled in the eighth inning. Turner was taken into an examination room and told he had to be in isolation, but he ignored those instructions and headed to the field after the Dodgers sealed their World Series win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
While it's understandable that Turner might be frustrated with not being able to celebrate one of the greatest moments of his life with his teammates after one of the most difficult seasons in history, there is no excuse for him choosing to expose himself and risk spreading the coronavirus to anyone he came into contact with. Turner tweeted out that he was asymptomatic, but that does not mean he could not have spread the virus.
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
— Justin Turner (@redturn2) October 28, 2020
Teammate Mookie Betts defended Turner being on the field when asked about it, saying that he was "part of the team."
"Forget all that..." Betts said. "We're not excluding him from anything."
That type of attitude is usually something to commend, but in the case of COVID-19, which has killed more than 230,000 Americans, this sort of dismissal comes across as naive, dangerous and downright stupid.
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