MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the league has concluded its investigation into Justin Turner’s return to the field following the Dodgers’ World Series-clinching Game 6 victory after he had received a positive test for COVID-19 and that no punishments would be issued to him or the team.

Turner’s return to the field became a hotly debated topic in the wake of the Dodgers’ World Series win. The MLB was quick to release an earlier statement which announced the investigation and condemned Turner’s actions.

Related: MLB Announces Investigation Into Justin Turner Returning To Field After Positive Coronavirus Test

The more recent statement struck a different chord, which while not exonerating Turner of his actions, offers a clearer picture of the context of Turner’s actions.

Three main facts discovered by the investigation were highlighted in the statement.

• Turner’s teammates actively encouraged him to leave the isolation room and were prepared to tolerate the additional risk.
• Turner believes that he received permission from at least one Dodger’s employee to return to the field for a photograph and at least two Dodgers employees said nothing to Mr. Turner as he made his way to the field, which they admitted may have created the impression that his conduct was acceptable. 
• Turner was incorrectly told by an unidentified person that other players had tested positive, creating the impression in Turner’s mind that he had been singled out for isolation.

The MLB also took some blame for the incident, stating that they could have handled the incident more effectively and raised several examples of ways they could have been more prepared, including having a security person assigned to monitor Turner when asked to isolate and providing transportation to the hotel from the stadium more quickly.

In the end, Manfred and the MLB decided to move forward without issuing any punishments, and even highlighted Turner’s upstanding reputation and offered some praise for his actions in the wake of the incident.

“Staging a baseball season during the COVID 19 pandemic is an incredibly difficult undertaking,” Manfred wrote. “We all have made mistakes as we have 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.”

Dodgers President and CEO Stan Kasten also released a statement, which while expressing regret at the way events unfolded and reasserting the organization’s commitment to health and safety, issued support for Turner.

“Through much hard work and sacrifice, the Dodgers were successful at preventing COVID-19 infections throughout a very difficult 2020 season,” wrote Kasten. “No player was more instrumental in allowing the Dodgers to overcome the adversity created by the pandemic than Justin Turner, as he set an example for his teammates and advocated for enhanced safety measures that went above and beyond league requirements.”

Similarly to Manfred, Kasten also highlighted Turner’s character and sparkling reputation.

“While the events following the conclusion of the World Series were unfortunate, there is no question about who Justin Turner is, and what he means to his teammates, the Dodger organization and the City of Los Angeles,” Kasten wrote. “A three-time nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award as Baseball’s top humanitarian, Justin and his wife Kourtney represent the best of the Dodger organization through the positive impact of the Justin Turner Foundation and their continued commitment to making Los Angeles a better place.”

Turner himself released a statement in which he added further context of events from his perspective.

“I will not make excuses for my conduct, but I will describe my state of mind. Winning the World Series was my lifelong dream and the culmination of everything I worked for in my career. After waiting in the isolation room while my teammates celebrated on the field, I asked whether I was permitted to return to the field with my wife in order to take a photograph,” wrote Turner. 

Turner went on to express that he understood what he did was wrong and offered his apologies.

“I was under the impression that team officials did not object to my returning to the field for a picture with my wife. However, what was intended to be a photo capturing the two of us turned into several greetings and photos where I briefly and unwisely removed my mask,” Turner wrote. “In hindsight, I should have waited until the field was clear of others to take that photo with my wife. I sincerely apologize to everyone on the field for failing to appreciate the risks of returning to the field.”

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