Dodgers' Justin Turner Receives No Punishment After World Series Celebration

Major League Baseball has opted not to punish Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner for taking part in his team's on-field celebration of its World Series-clinching victory Oct. 27 despite learning he had tested positive for COVID-19 earlier that evening.

The league released a statement about the decision Friday:

MLB previously commented on the matter the day following the clinching game, condemning Turner's actions and noting that the commissioner's office would be starting a "full investigation" into the matter and consulting with the Major League Baseball Players Association as well.

Turner went 0-for-3 and played the first seven innings in the field during his team's 3-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 6 of the World Series. He was pulled before the top of the eighth for Enrique Hernandez, though no explanation was given as to why.

After the game, MLB announced it learned mid-game that the 35-year-old tested positive for COVID-19 and that he had to be pulled from the contest.

Turner announced postgame that he was asymptomatic:

However, the third baseman then went back onto the field and celebrated with his team, including taking part in a group picture:

Stephanie Apstein of Sports Illustrated painted a picture of what went down afterward:

"Turner was placed in an examination room, where his wife, Kourtney, joined him. He was told he was now in isolation. Then the Dodgers won their first title in 32 years, and he decided to join his teammates on the field, potentially exposing the virus to dozens of people the league had claimed it could protect.

"SI's Tom Verducci reported MLB security personnel informed Turner he should remain in isolation, but as one source told Verducci, 'He just basically said '[expletive] it, I'm going out there.'"

Turner, a 12-year MLB veteran, has played with the Dodgers since 2014. He's hit .302 in his seven years with L.A. and tied Corey Seager for a team-high .307 batting average for the World Series champs.