3 players on the Dodgers roster LA should move on from before playoffs

ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 26: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers returns to the dugout during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 26, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 26: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers returns to the dugout during the sixth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 26, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
(Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

1. Justin Turner

Okay, this one is going to sting. The Los Angeles Dodgers should not move on from Justin Turner in the sense that they should trade him or release him. That makes no sense and, no matter what, he will be on the roster for the rest of the season.

However, the Dodgers need to move on from the idea that this is the same Justin Turner. That simply is not the case anymore, and there is no reason for Turner to be in the starting lineup nearly every single night.

Turner hasn’t just regressed, but he is actively making the team worse. It would be one thing if he played elite defense like Cody Bellinger, but he doesn’t. It would be easier to keep him starting if there wasn’t a prospect that is better than him waiting in the wings, but there is.

Outside of Clayton Kershaw, Justin Turner is perhaps the biggest fan favorite on the Dodgers, and this is going to be a really hard thing for Dave Roberts to do. But if the team is still starting Turner nearly every night in October, then they are not showing a commitment to winning baseball games.

JT is hitting .217 with a .634 OPS and 75 OPS+. There are 131 players in the league that have logged at least 250 plate appearances this season. Turner ranks 121st in OPS and 124th in OPS+. Over 90% of the league is better at the plate than Turner this season, and the sample size is too large to ignore.

Miguel Vargas needs to be given his chance to play third base and hey, perhaps Turner could replace Alberto as being the Dodgers’ right-handed bench bat to come up in big moments.