Dodgers player Justin Turner celebrates World Series win with teammates after positive COVID-19 test

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Justin Turner celebrated with his teammates after the team’s World Series win late Tuesday despite testing positive for COVID-19, sparking outrage on social media.

Turner was taken off the field before the eighth inning of Game 6 against the Tampa Bay Rays in Arlington, Texas, marking the first Major League Baseball player to test positive in more than a month.

But after the Dodgers later recorded the final out in the team’s 3-1 victory, Turner celebrated with teammates on the field, at times without a mask.

Turner shared on Twitter he felt “great” and had “no symptoms at all” from the novel coronavirus.

“Thanks to everyone reaching out! I feel great, no symptoms at all. Just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine. Can’t believe I couldn’t be out there to celebrate with my guys! So proud of this team & unbelievably happy for the City of LA,” he wrote.

Thanks to everyone reaching out! I feel great, no symptoms at all. Just experienced every emotion you can possibly imagine. Can’t believe I couldn’t be out there to celebrate with my guys! So proud of this team & unbelievably happy for the City of LA#WorldSeriesChamps

— Justin Turner (@redturn2) October 28, 2020

Dodgers star outfielder Mookie Betts said that despite the positive test, Turner deserved to be part of the festivities.

“He’s part of the team,” Betts told ESPN. “Forget all that, he’s part of the team. We’re not excluding him from anything.”

Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said that Turner “wanted to come out and take a picture with the trophy, and did.”

“With or without that, a lot of people he interacted with would be in the contact tracing web,” Friedman said.

“I haven’t seen the pictures. I totally understand the question. If there’s people around him without masks, it’s not good optics at all,” he added.

Social media exploded with criticism after photos and videos of Turner quickly went viral.

Still blows my mind a few hours later. How do you let him back on the field for the team photo?? I feel for Turner, but come on. https://t.co/LbX5OkJj21

— Graham Hall (@GrahamHall_) October 28, 2020

Waking up five hours later still wondering how the Justin Turner situation was allowed to happen

— Roy Bellamy (@roybelly) October 28, 2020

Rob Manfred heard about Justin Turner and immediately drank 48 beers

— Pete Blackburn (@PeteBlackburn) October 28, 2020

Rob Manfred says MLB learned during the game that Justin Turner had tested positive for the coronavirus.

How does that happen? How do they let players on the field without knowing the results of the latest tests?

MLB has SO much explaining to do. MLB screwed up.

— Brendan Kuty (@BrendanKutyNJ) October 28, 2020

The Dodgers have not won a World Series championship since 1988.