Justin Turner smashes first home run with Blue Jays in 4-RBI performance

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It looked like Justin Turner was out on the driving range, working his way through his bag.

First came the irons, a looping single into left field to put the Blue Jays on the board. Then, he reached for his three wood, roping a line drive off the top of the left-field wall with the bases loaded to bring home two more.

We all know why we go to the driving range, though: to let it rip with the big stick.

In his third trip to the plate, Turner unleashed his first home run in a Blue Jays uniform, soaring over the same paths his single and double had traveled. It all looked so calm, so intentional, so locked-in.

Coming off a season where timely hitting and power both plagued the Blue Jays at times, Turner’s performance was just so refreshing in a 9-2 win that earned Toronto a series split.

“… And it helps to have Vic telling me that I’m an RBI machine,” Turner continued with a smile. “That confidence going up to the plate is always a nice plus.”

Turner came to the Blue Jays with a reputation earned over the course of 15 big league seasons. He performs in the big moments, owning impressive statistics with runners in scoring position.

“He keeps himself levelheaded in those moments,” said manager John Schneider. “It’s about having an approach and sticking to it. You can see what he’s trying to do every single time.”

The rest of the game seemed to follow Turner’s lead. Davis Schneider launched his first home run of the season in his first start, another encouraging sign for a club looking to unlock more power.

The Blue Jays took two underwhelming losses in the middle, but their wins to bookend this series paint the picture of an offense that could be more dynamic than the one from a year ago.

An offensive performance like this works nearly any day, but behind Kevin Gausman, it’s a lock.

“He always killed us and killed me, personally. Now, he’s on my team and I love the game that he brings. He’s in his [16th] year. You don’t get there by accident. He’s a pro’s pro.”

The first four games of a season won’t make or break a team, but they can offer up some hints about the Blue Jays’ potential and improved approach.