One of the Boston Red Sox's best players and top free-agent signings is going to be playing through an injury.
The Boston Red Sox are over .500, much like their AL East counterparts, but sit near the bottom alongside the New York Yankees. With that, they do face slim odds of making the postseason. Considering the Red Sox made very minimal moves at the trade deadline, they will need their team at full health and playing up to par.
Well, one of their better players on the roster is dealing with an injury.
Designated hitter and infielder Justin Turner suffered an injury during Boston's July 31 game against the Seattle Mariners, which forced him to miss some action and return with some rest days. As it turns out, that injury was a bruised right heel. Turner says that this is an injury that he will have to play through for the remainder of the season. The veteran said that sitting out is not an option, especially as the team makes a push for the playoffs.
"It's an interesting one," said Turner, h/t Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. "It's a bone bruise. There's no real remedy for a bone bruise. You ask a medical person, they'll tell you 4-6 weeks avoiding impact.
"Obviously, I don't have that luxury. So, trying to calm it down and get it as under control as I can and then try to go again and not piss it off. You don't really have a lot of options."
Justin Turner to play through bruised heel as Red Sox make push for postseason
Considering that the Red Sox have a 13.4 percent chance of making the postseason as of the morning of Aug. 11, per FanGraphs, they need full reinforcements, even if they are not 100 percent. Turner just so happens to be one of their best hitters, and he doesn't plan to sit out four-to-six weeks to heal.
The Red Sox signed Turner to a two-year, $21.7 million contract, which includes a player option for the 2024 season. It was a savvy signing by Boston chief baseball officer Chaim Bloom, as Turner could play first, second, and third while primarily serving as the designated hitter.
In 105 games played, Turner recorded a .284 batting average, a .353 on-base percentage, a .474 slugging percentage, 17 home runs, 67 runs, 71 RBI, 114 hits, 73 strikeouts, and 39 walks in 401 at-bats.
The Red Sox are entering a three-game weekend series against the Detroit Tigers, starting on Friday night. It's unknown when Turner will make his return after missing the last three games.
