Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale is supportive of second baseman Dustin Pedroia as he returns from a knee injury that cost him the majority of last season.
Boston Red Sox ace Chris Sale met with the media in Fort Myers this week and was very talkative about Dustin Pedroia coming back from a knee injury that wiped out most of his 2018 season.
Sale’s has a lot of confidence in Pedroia, saying that the veteran second baseman is out to prove a point this year and that we shouldn’t rule him out. Pedroia hasn’t been on the field much these past few seasons after dealing with injuries. He had a left knee cartilage procedure done on October 25, 2017. After that, he spent months rehabbing in Arizona getting ready to come back to play.
Sale knows what it’s like to be on the disabled list for a while. He also knows what it’s like for people to count him out. When Sale was on the disabled list last season with shoulder inflammation, people were questioning his ability to pitch well in the postseason. He was lights out in the playoffs and proved everyone wrong that doubted him. It’s the same for Pedroia with people saying he’s not good anymore or he should retire. He still feels he can play at a high level and help the team win.
"“He’s one of those guys you can never rule out.. “I dare you to rule him out actually, because he’s out to prove a point this year. And that’s a scary thought. You take a perennial All-Star, three-time World (Series) champion, former MVP, and he wants more now. I think we’re in for some pretty awesome stuff from him this year., Sale told the media in Fort Myers, according to Christopher Smith of MassLive"
President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski told reporters today that the Sox are hopeful he can play 125 games this season. That would be huge. He started running in mid-January and fielded ground balls in a World Series jersey recently. It sounds like Pedroia is ready for the season to start.
Pedroia needs support from Sale and his teammates. All the people saying he has nothing left and should retire could be used as motivation to keep on going. When Pedroia is on his game he’s unstoppable. Pedroia can also be used as a mentor for the younger players. If there was a time when Mookie Betts had to play second base, Pedroia would be the one coaching him.
Pedroia could be an added bonus in the infield with his experience at second base. With his knee hopefully healed enough so he can play well, expect him to make the key defensive stop during a game.
Also, expect Pedroia to be as productive as he can at the plate. He’ll want to be that difference maker in the game, whether it’s a key base hit or a home run. As always, he’ll continue to be the veteran leader in the clubhouse and support his teammates as they support him.