Pedroia done for season, remains hopeful about return in 2020
Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia underwent a "left knee joint preservation procedure" in Colorado on Tuesday, the team announced.
Pedroia will begin rehabbing from the procedure in Arizona, the Red Sox added.
Tuesday's procedure marked the fifth surgery on his left knee, according to Andrew Mahoney of the Boston Globe.
Pedroia won't play again in 2019, and though a return in 2020 has not been ruled out, Boston manager Alex Cora said there's no guarantee.
"He's going to keep trying to find ways to make it happen," Cora said, according to Chris Cotillo of MassLive.
Ongoing knee problems have limited Pedroia to nine MLB games since 2017. Though he managed to suit up for six games in April, Pedroia went 2-for-20 before a flare-up sent him back to the injured list. In May, he was moved to the 60-day IL following a setback during a minor-league rehab assignment.
Although the Red Sox never ruled him out for the season, Pedroia was considered unlikely to make a quick return to the diamond. When asked in May if he'd be able to play baseball again, the 2008 AL MVP answered, "I'm not sure."
Per .@ChrisGearyOrtho on the latest Pedroia surgery: ‘This is a much bigger procedure (than the prior surgeries). ... It’s a day to day life procedure. It’s not a going back to playing sports procedure.’
— Alex Speier (@alexspeier) August 7, 2019
Pedroia turns 36 next week. He has spent his entire 14-year career in Boston, where he's amassed 1,805 hits and won three World Series championships.