What Justin Turner Enjoys About Playing In Front Of Red Sox Fans

Justin Turner has been with the Boston Red Sox for just half a season so far, but the 38-year-old has quickly enjoyed the experience of playing in front of the Fenway Park home crowd.

Putting an end to a nine-year run with the Dodgers, Turner made a huge transition, switching from the West Coast in Los Angeles to over East in Boston. And while that’s never easy, the Red Sox fans have done their part in aiding the move, making for a noticeable difference in Turner’s eyes from what he was accustomed to at Dodger Stadium to what he’s now loved about Fenway Park.

“There’s no prompts, there’s no crap on the scoreboard telling the fans when they’re supposed to cheer or when they need to get loud or when they need to stand up or when they should sing along,” Turner said, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “Like, they just know. And that has been pretty spectacular for me.

“In L.A., you have 50,000 people and it gets loud and feels like you’re playing in a cathedral because it’s so big. Here is more intimate, but it’s just as loud and just as passionate and the fans are into the games at all times. It’s been great.”

The efforts Turner has delivered on a night-to-night basis in Boston should prompt some similar feelings from Red Sox fans toward the two-time All-Star himself.

Turner has led the team in hits (96) through 87 games played, batting .288 with 13 home runs and 52 RBIs.

During the offseason, Boston targeted and signed Turner in order to help stabilize the lineup and provide defensive versatility while also serving as a veteran voice of leadership in the Red Sox clubhouse. And so far, Turner’s checked those boxes, offering a helping hand in Boston’s efforts to turn its ship around before the end of the season.