Boston Red Sox first baseman Justin Turner was briefly hospitalized and required 16 stitches on Monday after being hit in the face by a pitch from Detroit Tigers starter Matt Manning. Turner's wife Kourtney tweeted the following update on Monday night, noting that he avoided fractures and a concussion:
Turner himself on Tuesday that he suffered no fractures and did not lose any teeth from the incident:
You can find video of the incident below, but viewer discretion is advised.
As the broadcast noted, there appeared to be blood dripping from Turner's face. Red Sox TV reporter Jahmai Webster said there was "blood leaking from his nose" and Turner's "cheek area had swollen up pretty quickly."
Once Turner picked himself off the ground, he walked to the clubhouse with Red Sox trainers while holding a towel to his face. The Red Sox announced that Turner was taken to a local hospital in an ambulance. More from the team:
Justin Turner was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation after being hit in the face by a pitch. He's receiving treatment for soft tissue injuries, and is being monitored for a concussion. He will undergo further testing, and we'll update as we have more information. Justin is stable, alert, and in good spirits given the circumstances.
Turner, 38, hit .296/.375/.490 (133 OPS+) in his nine seasons with the Dodgers as one of the faces of a team routinely making the playoffs and going on deep playoff runs. He made two All-Star teams and finished in the top 10 in NL MVP voting twice as well.
He signed a one-year, $15 million deal with the Red Sox this past offseason. With Rafael Devers having signed a long-term extension to remain the Red Sox's third baseman, Turner will move across the diamond to first base while also seeing time at designated hitter this coming season.
