Alex Cora Explains How Often Justin Turner Will Play Second Base

The Red Sox tried something new in their first game after the Major League Baseball All-Star break.

In Boston’s dominant win over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday, Justin Turner started at second base. It was the first time the veteran played the position since 2015.

It was a clean game from Turner, who hit one of six home runs on the night. Manager Alex Cora told reporters before the matchup there would be more shifts to the defensive lineup with Pablo Reyes expected to take center field, which he has done in his career but not with the Red Sox.

“Groundball pitcher, why not? Throw him out there,” Cora told reporters about Turner starting at second base, per The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier. “He’ll play (second) once a week. I think that’s the way I see it. We need this guy to hit and we cannot push him to do stuff he’s not used to, but like I told him Sunday (before the break), you’ve got four days off, you can play second on Friday.”

“I think it went alright,” Turner told NESN’s Jahmai Webster. “I caught all the groundballs. Had a little mishap on the pop-up with (Alex Verdugo), but fortunately, he was able to pick it up and throw the guy out at second. But I think it went well.”

Turner shifted to first base in the eighth inning, but it’s clear Boston needs his offense. Triston Casas is a young player who is deserving of his start at first base. Jarren Duran’s breakout along with Masataka Yoshida’s and Adam Duvall’s bats means that trio needs to be in the lineup.

Trevor Story is working his way toward a return, but he likely will be eased back into the lineup. And that will add more versatility to the Red Sox lineup, too.

Turner at second base was the option Cora needed to go with, especially with the Red Sox two games out of the American League wild-card race.