Los Angeles – Former Los Angeles Dodgers star Justin Turner has once again stirred up the baseball community by frankly sharing his emotional desire: to end his career with a “one-day contract” with the team that made his name – the Los Angeles Dodgers.
In a statement that is going viral in MLB circles, Turner couldn’t hide his emotion when talking about his journey of more than a decade across many different teams, but his heart always remains with where he started.
“Even though I’ve been through many teams, experienced many locker rooms, many different cities… at the end of my career, I still want to return to my home in L.A.,” Turner shared. “I want to end it all in the most meaningful way – in a Dodgers uniform.”
Turner had a tumultuous career before finding his “golden home” with the Dodgers in 2014. From a player considered a reserve with the New York Mets, he rose to become one of the most consistent third basemen in the National League.
In nine seasons in Los Angeles, Turner became an icon of resilience, fighting spirit, and the ability to shine at the right moment in the postseason — especially during their 2020 World Series victory.
He was an All-Star, NLCS MVP, and one of the most beloved faces of the modern Dodgers era.
After leaving the Dodgers, Turner embarked on a rare series of “end-of-career adventures”:
Boston Red Sox
Toronto Blue Jays
Seattle Mariners
Chicago Cubs
And most recently, a stint in the Mexican League
However, each stop marked the mark of a seasoned veteran hitter, who maintained consistent batting ability and leadership in the locker room.
Nevertheless, Turner himself admitted: nowhere is quite like Los Angeles.
“Every team taught me something,” he said. “But the Dodgers is where I grew, where I won, and where I felt I belonged.”
The idea Turner mentioned — signing a short-term contract to officially retire with his old team — is not uncommon in MLB.
Many legends have chosen this way to end their careers in the colors they were most associated with, as a final tribute to the organization that shaped their names.
For Turner, it meant something special: not for the title, but for the emotion.
“I don’t need another game to prove anything,” he said. “I just want to step onto the court one last time in what I call home.”
Throughout the 2014–2022 period, Turner was not only a consistent player, but also one of the faces representing the Dodgers spirit: resilient, intelligent, and never defeated by pressure.
He played in many crucial postseasons, became an icon of clutch moments, and was an integral part of the 2020 World Series victory—the biggest title in modern Dodgers history.
Even years after leaving the team, Turner frequently returns to Dodger Stadium for community events, tributes, and charity work.
Each time he appears, he receives thunderous applause from the fans—as if he had never left.
Some former teammates have even stated, “Turner was never really a former Dodger — he was just away from home.”
While Turner’s desire is strongly supported by fans, the possibility of the Dodgers actually signing him back for a playing contract remains open, as the current roster is already stable in many key positions.
However, a symbolic “one-day contract” — to officially end his career — is almost certainly a possibility if both sides agree.
In the modern world of baseball, where players often move between teams, Justin Turner’s story has a special nuance — of attachment, memory, and loyalty.
“You can play in many places,” Turner said softly, “but there’s only one place you want to come back to when it’s all over.”
And for him, that place is none other than the Los Angeles Dodgers.