On a warm Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs got a much-needed spark from one of their oldest sources of power.
With the score tied 3–3 in the bottom of the ninth, 40-year-old Justin Turner stepped up to the plate as a pinch-hitter and did something he had never done in his 17-year Major League career: he launched a walk-off home run.
The two-run blast off Orioles lefty Keegan Akin not only secured a dramatic 5–3 win over a playoff-contending Baltimore team, but also delivered a signature moment for Turner — a grizzled veteran who’s now played in 1,736 MLB games without ever ending one this way.
A Career First, Right on Time
Turner has had plenty of big hits over his lengthy career, especially during his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers, where he was a postseason staple and clubhouse leader. But a walk-off home run in the regular season? That had always eluded him — until now.
“Seventeen years in, and I finally got one,” Turner said postgame, smiling. “That’s baseball for you.” And what a time to deliver it.
The Cubs needed every bit of momentum they could get as they try to claw their way back into the NL Wild Card mix. Turner’s homer them a series win over one of the best teams in baseball. It also injected a jolt of veteran energy into a team still searching for consistency.
Turner’s Role May Be Smaller, But His Moment Was Massive
This season, Turner’s role in Chicago has been mostly off the bench. In 58 games, he owns a .616 OPS with just three home runs and 15 RBIs, a far cry from his peak seasons. But Sunday’s swing proved his bat still holds weight — and that his presence can still shift a game.
It’s also a bit of poetic baseball justice: Turner’s first walk-off comes against the Orioles, one of the franchises he suited up for early in his career.
Clutch Is Clutch No Matter the Age
At 40, most players are long retired. But Turner keeps finding ways to matter.
He may not be the everyday star he once was, but Sunday’s walk-off was a reminder of why teams value experience — not just for leadership in the locker room, but for moments exactly like this.
One swing. A 17-year wait. And finally, a walk-off. Major League Baseball has a funny way of giving its veterans their due.
