Red Sox Reporter Gives Optimistic Update On Justin Turner After Scary Injury

Boston's primary designated hitter might be back sooner than you think

Scott Neville | Mar 9, 2023

Red Sox Reporter Gives Optimistic Update On Justin Turner After Scary Injury /

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Could Boston Red Sox designated hitter/infielder Justin Turner return quicker than initially anticipated?

Turner was hit in the face by a fastball Monday during a spring training appearance and looked as if he might miss a considerable amount of time.

A trip to the hospital would reveal that he did not break any bones but did need 16 stitches in his cheek. Fortunately, it sounds as if Turner will be back on the field swiftly.

"Justin Turner was back at the ballpark yesterday," The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham tweeted Thursday. "Won’t be on the field until he gets the stitches out. Sox are taking it day by day. Hope is he’ll have time to be ready for Opening Day."

The worse aspect of the recovery will be the mental side for Turner. His face should heal in a few weeks but he'll have to get comfortable in the box all over again.

The 14-year veteran will likely be able to overcome the fear of getting hit in the face again after a few rounds of live batting practice. He's spent a good amount of his life in a batter's box.

If Boston chooses to bring Turner along slowly -- something they've really harped on this spring training for pitchers -- his Opening Day roster spot could go to outfielder Raimel Tapia or possibly even outfielder Jarren Duran.

The former sounds much more likely than the latter but Duran's new approach at the plate and elite speed give him a chance.

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Published Mar 9, 2023

SCOTT NEVILLE

Scott Neville covers the Boston Red Sox for Sports Illustrated's new page "Inside The Red Sox." Before starting "Inside The Red Sox", Neville attended Merrimack College, where he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Communication and Media with a minor in Marketing. Neville spent all four years with Merrimack's radio station WMCK, where he grew as a radio/podcast host and producer. His propensity for being in front of a microphone eventually expanded to film, where he produced multiple short films alongside his then-roommate and current co-worker Stephen Mottram. On a journey that began as a way to receive easy credits via film classes, he received a call from "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star Charlie Day. Day advised him to make a feature-length film, which he completed his senior year. While writing the film, Neville completed an internship for United Way as part of their NFL Partnership Program. Neville ran the blog for a team of interns and hosted an internet show called "United Way's NFL Partnership Series" where he interviewed NFL alumni. After college Neville wrote for SB Nation's "Over The Monster," a Red Sox sister site of the flagship brand. His work would eventually lead him to a job as a content producer with NESN, where he would cover all sports. After developing as a writer with the top regional network in the world, he was given the opportunity to join the Sports Illustrated Media Group in his current endeavor as the publisher of "Inside The Red Sox." The successful launch and quick rise of "Inside The Red Sox" led to Neville joining the Baseball Essential ownership group, a national baseball site under SIMG. Follow him on Twitter: @ScottNeville46 Email: nevilles@merrimack.edu