Boston Red Sox first basemen Justin Turner was taken to a nearby hospital after he was struck in the face by a pitch from Detroit Tigers starter Matt Manning.
The 38-year-old collapsed on the ground after being hit, to which medical personnel immediately rushed to his side. Although blood could be seen pooling on his face, he was able to pick himself up and walk off the field.
Turner was taken to a hospital in an ambulance and reportedly needed 16 stitches to repair the damages caused by the blow. “Turner was taken to a local hospital for further evaluation after being hit in the face by a pitch,” the team announced following the incident.
“He’s receiving treatment for soft tissue injuries and is being monitored for a concussion,” the Red Sox continued in their statement. “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.”
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After being escorted to the hospital, his wife took to social media to give a status update on his injuries. Per his wife Kourtney, he luckily avoided fractures and a concussion.
“Thank you to everyone that reached out about Justin and sent prayers. We’re home now, and he’s resting (okay – maybe listening to the replay of the game),” Kourtney Turner wrote on Twitter. “16 stitches and a lot of swelling, but we are thanking God for no fractures & clear scans.”
Justin Turner returns to social media to discuss being hit in the face with a pitch.
Turner himself also took to Twitter and let his fans know he was discharged from the hospital. “Thanks to everyone for all the messages and prayers! I’m feeling very fortunate to come out of yesterday with no breaks & all my chiclets intact,” he began. “The @RedSox medical staff and @Lee_Health have been absolutely amazing & I’m going to be back out on the field as soon as possible!”
Ever since the good medical news came in, Matt Manning apologized for putting Turner in that position. “It was a complete accident; the ball just got away,” Manning told reporters. “I got a swing and miss on a ball kind of up in the zone, so I tried to go back to it, and it just got away from me.”
Despite the physical ailment, the Red Sox went on to defeat the Detroit Tigers 7-1 during the spring training game.
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