#MLB won’t punish Justin Turner for World Series COVID celebration

Justin Turner, who celebrated on the field with his World Series-winning teammates after testing positive for COVID-19, will not face any punishment from Major League Baseball, commissioner Rob Manfred said on Friday.

The standout infielder and former Met was the subject of an investigation following his actions after the Dodgers clinched the title in Game 6 against the Rays. He was pulled from the game in the seventh inning after results from his positive test came back.

He was initially put in isolation, but returned to the field to celebrate, even taking his mask off for a team photo.

Turner issued an apology, explaining his actions amid a scene Dodgers president Stan Kasten described as unfolding “rapidly and chaotically.”

“In hindsight, I should have waited until the field was clear of others to take that photo with my wife,” Turner wrote in a statement. “I sincerely apologize to everyone on the field for failing to appreciate the risks of returning to the field. I have spoken with almost every teammate, coach, and staff member, and my intentions were never to make anyone uncomfortable or put anyone at further risk.”

Manfred accepted the apology in light of the context Turner provided.

“Staging a baseball season during the COVID 19 pandemic is an incredibly difficult undertaking and it required significant sacrifices and an enormous amount of work by players, club staff and the Commissioner’s Office,” Manfred said in a statement. “We all have made mistakes as we navigated these unprecedented challenges and have tried to learn from those mistakes so they are not repeated. With this in mind, I am closing this matter by applauding Justin for accepting responsibility, apologizing and making a commitment to set a positive example going forward.”