Dodgers: Trea Turner’s insane speed adds scary element to LAD’s playoff roster

It’s still a bit hard to believe how much better the Los Angeles Dodgers got at the trade deadline despite dealing with what many other teams would consider debilitating injuries, off-field situations, and regressions.

We don’t need to get into it all, but Clayton Kershaw has made one start since July 3, Cody Bellinger is statistically one of the worst players in all of baseball, Dustin May was lost for the season four months ago, we’re never seeing Trevor Bauer again, and AJ Pollock hit the IL right when he was the team’s hottest hitter.

Imagine where this team would be right now had they not acquired Max Scherzer and Trea Turner on July 30?

Or don’t. Terrifying.

We’ve talked a lot about Scherzer, and for good reason, but Turner is proving to provide yet another scary element for this Dodgers team as it roars ahead into October.

Again…who else can do this?!

Trea Turner’s speed is going to elevate the Dodgers in October.

Has Turner ever been thrown out on the bases? Can someone do a deep dive for us? It’s worth researching.

Dodgers fans have been gifted with Turner gliding around the bases and leaving defenses with no option but to watch him swiftly cross home plate, but he’s now beating out relatively routine grounders to second base? It might not seem integral, but on Wednesday night, that one came with two outs and a runner on third base. His RBI infield single provided much-needed insurance to help LA sweep the Diamondbacks.

Manager Dave Roberts has a weapon in his arsenal he’s perhaps never possessed with the Dodgers.

Turner’s speed has already tested defenses, and it’s going to do so on the biggest stage, in the biggest spotlight. Don’t think that’ll add pressure to teams already shaking in their boots about facing the deepest team in MLB?

Whether it’s stealing bags, beating out infield hits, or taking an extra base for whatever reason, the Dodgers have yet another advantage most other contenders do not.

Turner leads the NL with 29 stolen bases. If the season were to end today, here are the other leading base stealers the Dodgers would potentially have to deal with in the playoffs:

• Cardinals 2B Tommy Edman: 25 stolen bases
• Braves 2B Ozzie Albies: 17 stolen bases
• Giants CF Austin Slater: 14 stolen bases
• Brewers CF Lorenzo Cain: 11 stolen bases

And Edman would be on a Wild Card team. The other three division leaders (at the moment) hardly have an imposing force such as Turner, who, also, by the way, leads the NL in hits. The more he’s on base, the more of a distraction he’ll be.

With the way the Dodgers play postseason baseball, unleashing Turner will give them an edge they haven’t possessed since 2014, when Dee Gordon and Carl Crawford were swiping bags left and right … but that team wasn’t even close to as complete as this one.

Dodgers: Trea Turner blasts reporter’s question about Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers star Trea Turner did not like being asked a question about the San Francisco Giants before the team's victory over the Padres.