Dodgers’ Trea Turner gets a well-deserved day off

LOS ANGELES ― On the 148th day, Trea Turner rested.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made out a lineup card Friday without Turner for the first time this season, as the manager kept his word to give the shortstop a day off in September.

“Last night we were getting on the plane to come home,” Turner recalled. “(Roberts) said, ‘how about an off-day tomorrow?’ I said, are you benching me? If you’re benching me all right but I feel good.

“He wouldn’t commit to the benching comment,” Turner continued, tongue in cheek. “I’m just going to go with that one.”

Turner and first baseman Freddie Freeman entered the weekend having started all 130 games for the Dodgers this season. No one else had appeared in more than 116 games. Turner’s performance scarcely suffered as his workload added up – save his slugging percentage, which was more than 100 points higher in July (.541) compared to August (.404).

For Roberts, what mattered more was the Dodgers’ just-completed road trip to Miami and New York.

“There were a couple extra-inning games,” Roberts said. “There was a late get-in to New York. There was a late get-in (Thursday) night, (Friday) morning, and you’ve still got a lot of games before you get to the off-day (Sept. 8). The plan was for him to not play 162 anyway. … It’s certainly not a benching. I just felt it was best for him and for all of us.”

Rosters expanded from 26 to 28 on Sept. 1, giving every team an extra position player. Just as he did with Turner, Roberts has suggested Freeman will get a day off this month too. Freeman is one of three players (along with the Atlanta Braves’ Matt Olson and Dansby Swanson) who has yet to miss a game this season.

For Turner, there was a sense of pride in being the fourth member of the group.

“I think after like 30, 40, 50 games it’s a pride thing,” he said. “It’s not easy to play 50 games in a row in general. It’s a little bit of a pride thing. It’s a little of what Freddie said: ‘We get paid to play, so come show up and do our job.’

“Some people are lucky enough to play every day. Some have different roles. I’m lucky enough to play every day.”

INJURY UPDATES

Right-hander Tony Gonsolin was cleared to resume his throwing program after an MRI did not reveal any serious injury. Gonsolin remains on the 15-day injured list with a right forearm strain. …

Right-hander Brusdar Graterol (elbow inflammation) confirmed that he underwent an MRI exam Friday, but neither he nor Roberts was ready to announce the results before the game. …

Gavin Lux (neck) was scheduled to start at shortstop instead of Turner, but he was a late lineup scratch. Roberts said Lux’s neck got “cranky” while he was getting loose prior to the game. Lux won’t play Saturday either, Roberts said, which would be the sixth game he has missed with the injury. …

Left-hander Victor Gonzalez threw a scoreless seventh inning, striking out two batters, in his latest rehab appearance with Triple-A Oklahoma City.

TREINEN RETURNS

Relief pitcher Blake Treinen was activated from the 60-day injured list prior to Friday’s game. Right-hander Jake Reed was designated for assignment to make room for Treinen on the active roster.

Treinen had not appeared in a game since April 14 because of an injury that limited the range of motion in his right shoulder. He appeared in seven minor league rehab games with Triple-A Oklahoma City, allowing five runs (three earned) with one walk and nine strikeouts in six innings.