Dodgers' Justin Turner Named 2022 Roberto Clemente Award Winner

Veteran third baseman Justin Turner is a native of Long Beach, California, and playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers for the last nine seasons gave him the opportunity to give back to his hometown.

For his efforts this year, Turner has been named the recipient of the Roberto Clemente Award, which honors players for their philanthropic efforts, per ESPN's Aiden Gonzalez.

Turner will be honored alongside the Clemente family and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred prior to Monday's World Series Game 3 between the Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

Turner has been the Dodgers' nominee for the award in five of the last six seasons. He is the third member of the franchise to win the award, joining Steve Garvey in 1981 and Clayton Kershaw in 2012.

The 37-year-old signed with the Dodgers as a free agent in 2014 after stints with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. His career blossomed in Los Angeles, as he went on to become a two-time All-Star and helped lead the team to a World Series championship in 2020.

After joining the Dodgers, Turner founded the Justin Turner Foundation alongside his wife Kourtney in 2016. Per Gonzalez, the foundation aims to "support homeless veterans, children and families battling life-altering diseases and illnesses."

Turner has also been actively involved with the Dream Center, which is "an L.A.-based resource center focused on supporting the homeless through community outreach programs." He also sits on the board of directors for Children's Hospital Los Angeles, to which he and Kourtney have donated over $100,000. They've also provided 70,000 toys and 14,000 bicycles to Los Angeles children, per Gonzalez.

"Everything in my life really feels like it has taken off since the day I put the Dodger uniform on," Turner said. "Obviously, it's very special to me, growing up in Southern California, getting to wear that jersey and getting to be a part of an organization that has so much history and has so many people who have impacted the game in so many different ways. I'm just trying to do my little part."

In 2019, Jan. 22 was declared "Justin Turner Day" in Los Angeles by the city council in recognition of his impact on the community. The Dodgers have not yet announced if they will exercise the $16 million club option for 2023, but he said he will continue his philanthropic efforts even after he departs the franchise, whenever that may be.

"I think that's something that will always be part of Kourtney and I's DNA," Turner said. "Obviously, we don't know what it will look like when eventually I am done playing, and when the events come together and what's going to happen on that front. But I think it's something that we will always continue and always be giving back to help people in need."