Cubs' Justin Turner defies age with bonkers walk-off HR feat last done in 1986

The Chicago Cubs will be needing every win they can get the rest of the way considering how on fire the Milwaukee Brewers have been for the past two months or so. With the Brewers demolishing the Washington Nationals, 14-3, the Cubs needed to win to keep in step with their rivals. But after the Baltimore Orioles tied the game on Sunday in the top of the ninth inning, the Cubs had to pull something deep out of their bag to avoid a crushing defeat.

Pull something deep out of their bag was exactly what the Cubs did. After shortstop Dansby Swanson reached first base on an error, Cubs manager Craig Counsell decided to pinch hit for Michael Busch, putting in veteran hitter Justin Turner in his place. Now, Turner entered the night slashing a woeful .211/.286/.297 on the season. But there’s no replacement for old man wisdom, which Turner used to full effect when he crushed a meatball of a four-seamer from Keegan Akin to deep left-center field to give the Cubs a 5-3 victory.

Justin Turner hits a pinch-hit #WALKOFF homer!

Sing it, Chicago 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/gfKATsoen3

— MLB (@MLB) August 3, 2025

As difficult as it is to believe, this walk-off home run is the first in Turner’s long regular-season career. He’s had plenty of playoff heroics in the past, but when the Cubs needed him, he answered the call — much to the roaring delight of the thousands in attendance at Wrigley Field.

And in so doing, Turner made a bit of history. According to Christopher Kamka of Marquee Sports Network, Turner, who’s 40 years and 254 days old) became the oldest Cubs player to hit a walk-off home run since Davey Lopes (41) also pulled off that feat back on July 2, 1986.

This is what makes Turner a valuable member of the Cubs roster still even though age has taken away a lot of his productivity.

Cubs looking to put pressure on the Brewers

Cubs' Justin Turner defies age with bonkers walk-off HR feat last done in 1986 — Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images

The Cubs have led the NL Central for much of the season, and yet here they find themselves, trailing the Brewers in what is shaping up to be an instant classic of a battle for the division title.

The slate will not get any easier for the Cubs anytime soon, however. They will move on to face two division rivals in the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals in back-to-back series, and then proceed to do battle against the AL East-leading Toronto Blue Jays.

More heroics will be needed for the Cubs to keep in step with the Brewers, and Turner is setting an example for how composed Chicago must be even in the most trying of moments.