Cubs walk-off hero Justin Turner's clutch numbers are actually insane

I don't know who needed that walk-off knock more: Justin Turner or the Chicago Cubs, as a whole. After Julian Merryweather stumbled again and the Miami Marlins took a lead late, the 40-year-old laced a double down the left-field line, sending a raucous Wrigley Field crowd into a frenzy Tuesday night.

That marked Turner's first extra-base hit of the season, which is particularly problematic given the Cubs' hopes he would be a legitimate bat off the bench this year. It's still early and we're still talking about a sample-size of just 72 plate appearances, but the early returns haven't been good.

He's 3-for-33 with the bases empty this season and 1-for-13 with a runner on first. But where he has thrived to this point is with runners in scoring position.

Turner boasts an impressive .539/.636/.615 with runners in scoring position, a line that's been completely overshadowed by his overall numbers (.169/.292/.186; 41 OPS). He's been solid in what Baseball Reference classifies as 'high-leverage' spots, too, slashing .294/.435/.353 in 23 plate appearances.

If anything these early trends only reinforce the role Turner should be playing on this team: a late-inning pinch hitter and only in the starting lineup in a true 'break glass in case of emergency' scenario. He brings tremendous experience and knowledge to those high-leverage spots and, despite his big-picture struggles this season, has come through more than anyone probably realized in clutch situations this year.

Justin Turner's heroics keep the Cubs on top in the NL Central

With the arrival of Moises Ballesteros, a Cubs prospect whose value lies almost entirely in his bat, the Cubs will be creative in the short-term as Ian Happ recovers from his injury. They'll do everything they can to get Ballesteros everyday at-bats, likely as the DH, with Seiya Suzuki dusting off his glove and heading to the outfield in the meantime.

First baseman Michael Busch was seen taking grounders at third on Tuesday at Wrigley, raising the possibility he could shift over to third once Happ returns, opening up playing time at first base for Ballesteros. Again, it's way too soon to tell how this will all shake out, but one thing seems clear: Turner has a very narrow path to draw starts on this team and at this point in his career.

Where he can best serve the Cubs is in the late innings with the game on the line. The numbers back that up - and his late-night heroics this week is just the latest proof.