Justin Turner Named Red Sox Heart & Hustle Award Winner
The Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association named Justin Turner the Red Sox recipient of the 2023 Heart & Hustle Award on Thursday.
This award, the only one voted on by former players, “honors active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game,” according to the MLB’s release.
The Red Sox made the announcement on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter, calling Turner “the embodiment of #HeartandHustle.”
Turner himself took to social media on Thursday to thank the MLBPAA for giving him the award.
The veteran slugger has had a great first season with Boston, after spending 14 seasons prior with other organizations, most recently the Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-22).
The 38-year-old is batting .286 with 17 home runs and 71 RBIs before Friday’s matchup with the Toronto Blue Jays. He currently is listed as day-to-day after suffering a heel injury Monday against the Seattle Mariners. He sat out the final two games of the series.
He’s been clutch for the Red Sox this season, getting hits in big at-bats when the team needs him the most. Turner had huge plate appearances recently for Boston, coming against the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves.
In last week’s three-game stretch against the Giants, Turner went 3-for-13 with a double, a home run and four RBIs. He also recorded the go-ahead double in last Wednesday’s 5-3 comeback win in a series sweep of the first-place Braves.
The veteran is deserving of the honors with the season he’s been having in his 15th year in the majors.