Perhaps no baseball player will ever be as cool as Ken Griffey Jr. But Trea Turner came pretty damn close Saturday evening.
Turner’s eighth inning grand slam Saturday was the key hit in a quarterfinal victory for Team USA over Team Venezuela, a moment that took the top off of an already electric environment at loanDepot Park:
While Turner’s teammates greeted him at home plate to celebrate the country’s greatest hit in WBC history, perhaps the most satisfying moment came when the All-Star shortstop arrived back at the dugout and was greeted by the aforementioned Griffey, who is Team USA’s hitting coach:
Beyond the obvious reasons why such a moment was so cool for Turner, it had to feel especially good for this to happen in Miami for a graduate of Park Vista Community High School, which is 59 miles away from loanDepot Park.
But after the game, Turner revealed why it was so special that Griffey was present for the grand slam.
“Stupid … that sounds crazy,” Turner told Jon Morosi of FOX when asked about his thoughts on getting to celebrate the moment with the Hall of Famer.
“I think I’ve only caught one foul ball in my life at a Marlins game and it was his,” Turner continued. “So to go from that kid 10, 12 years old watching him play to him teaching me how to hit a little bit, is kind of wild.”
Even as he prepares to begin an 11-year/$300 million deal with the Phillies — significantly larger than the $172.4 million Griffey will have made in his career when his contract deferrals are finished being paid out after the 2024 season — Turner says he did make time to tell one of his baseball idols about catching a foul ball off his bat years ago.
“Yeah, I told him the other day,” Turner revealed.
“I’m sure he gets that all the time, though. He gets like ‘You’re my favorite player.’ He’s got to be used to it by now. You know, he had that swag, everyone loved him when he was playing and it’s just cool having him in the clubhouse now.”
The turnaround for Turner and Team USA will be quick, as they’ll play Cuba in the semifinals Sunday evening. The winner of the USA-Cuba matchup will play in the WBC Championship Tuesday, against either Mexico or Japan, who will meet in the other semifinal matchup Monday.
Perhaps before Turner returns to the Phillies, he’ll have the chance to douse Griffey in champagne.
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