Former Dodgers star Justin Turner was hit in the face by a pitch Monday while playing in a spring training game for his new team, the Boston Red Sox.
Video footage shows Turner bleeding from his face onto home plate. Turner walked off the field under his own power but was helped by a member of the Red Sox training staff, who held a towel over the veteran player’s face.
Pete Abraham of the Boston Globe reports Turner was taken by ambulance to a hospital. No other details are available at this time.
Turner was facing Detroit Tigers pitcher Matt Manning with two runners on, no outs and a 2-1 count when the incident occurred in the bottom of the first inning.
Turner spent nine seasons with the Dodgers, becoming a beloved player among fans and a team leader who helped LA win a World Series title in 2020, the team’s first since 1988.
The Dodgers declined his $16-million option for 2023, then signed JD Martinez on Dec. 17 to effectively replace Turner’s right-handed bat in a predominantly designated hitting role. Turner signed a two-year, $22-million contract with the Red Sox the next day.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.