Turner to miss season finale with sore back

SAN FRANCISCO -- Justin Turner will miss a fifth consecutive game on Sunday because of a sore back, manager Dave Roberts said after Saturday's 2-0 win over the Giants.

But Roberts said he remains optimistic that Turner -- who has started three games in the past three weeks -- will be ready for Thursday’s Game 1 of the National League Division Series.

“I’d like to see him in there [Sunday] to take a couple of at-bats, but with J.T., it’s a simple swing. When he feels good, he performs,” said Roberts. “Tuesday, we’ll have a workout and we’ll do some simulated games and let the pitchers throw to hitters, and he’d be a part of that. So, it’s not imperative he plays tomorrow.”

Turner sustained a left ankle sprain on Sept. 7, returned to the lineup Sept. 21 for three starts, then experienced lower back discomfort in San Diego on Wednesday and hasn’t played since. Although he slugged 10 home runs in August, he has only one extra-base hit in September -- a home run on Sept. 3.

Roberts said Turner played catch and swung the bat in the cage.

“If he wasn’t able to move around and swing the bat in the cage, it would be more of a concern,” said Roberts. “But since he’s doing that, I feel confident he’ll be fine. There was improvement. But improvement to justify running him out there today, didn’t make a lot of sense.”

Roberts said at this point the club is not concerned about Turner not being on the NLDS roster. Matt Beaty started at third base on Saturday.

• AJ Pollock received treatment on Saturday for the left knee contusion he suffered when hit by a pitch on Friday night. Roberts said Pollock was available off the bench on Saturday.