Turner (face) will serve as the Red Sox's designated hitter and No. 3 batter in Monday's Grapefruit League game against the Pirates, Mac Cerullo of The North Andover Eagle-Tribune reports.
Turner is checking back into the Red Sox's starting nine for the first time since taking a pitch to the face in a March 6 game. Fortunately for Turner, he able to avoid any facial fractures, though he sustained a laceration that required several stitches and caused him to pause baseball activities for a few days. He was able to resume activity just over a week ago and made it through batting practice Friday without incident, so the Red Sox will be comfortable easing him back into the lineup in a non-defensive role. Turner is expected to see the majority of his starts out of the DH spot this season so long as Rafael Devers is healthy.