After an illustrious 14-year career, Boston Red Sox legend Dustin Pedroia announced on Monday that he’s closing the book on his career due to injury problems.
The diminutive second baseman was drafted in the 2nd round of the 2004 MLB Draft out of Arizona State University by the Red Sox, and has spent the entirety of his career with the same franchise.
Breaking into the big leagues in 2006, it didn’t take long for the California native to become established as the team’s second baseman. In only his first full season, Pedroia hit .317 and won the AL Rookie of the Year Award while helping lead the team to a World Series title.
The next year, he took home the 2008 AL MVP Award and made the first of four AL All-Star teams to which he would be named throughout his career.
Pedroia also collected four Gold Glove Awards, the last of which came in 2013, when he once again helped Boston to a World Series title.
Unfortunately, just a few years later Pedroia’s knees began to trouble him, and he missed part of the 2017 season after undergoing surgery. In 2018 and 2019, he barely saw the field thanks to continued setbacks, and he didn’t play in 2020.
His failing knees were ultimately what caused Pedroia to end his career, as he explained to reporters that he can no longer run enough to play.
His career will go down as one of the most memorable in Red Sox history, and fans will miss their scrappy second baseman.
