Pedroia returned for just two games in mid-August before his ailing left foot forced a 15-day stint on the DL. The news of a second stint came just one week after he returned from a seven-week stretch recuperating after a ball ricocheted off the top of his foot, fracturing the navicular bone.
Now, doctors are still unsure if he will need surgery to fix the bone. Scans have been sent out to two non-Red Sox doctors, and Pedroia is back in the reconstructive boot for at least a week. If the doctors determine surgery is not the answer, there is still no timetable as to when the second baseman could return.
If surgery is the answer, then Pedroia will follow in the footsteps of Mike Cameron and proceed with the season-ending procedure.
Kevin Youkilis is putting on a brave face for the Red Sox. After undergoing what he thought would be season-ending surgery on Aug. 6, the first baseman could return for the playoffs. That is, if the Red Sox make the playoffs.
Jacoby Ellsbury is likely done for the season, as his healing broken ribs were aggravated in a collision at first base on Aug. 14 playing against the Texas Rangers. The Red Sox are being very cautious with this injury, as they feel Ellsbury may have rushed back too soon from his previous stint on the DL.
On a positive note, Jarrod Saltalamacchia is scheduled to start a five-game rehab stint with the Pawtucket Red Sox on Thursday. The newly-acquired catcher landed on the DL two weeks ago with a mysterious leg infection. The infection has since cleared up after a brief hospital stay, and Salty will be testing out the leg with the PawSox this weekend.
Hideki Okajima is set to be re-evaluated on Friday after he was sidelined with a right hamstring strain. He has thrown in a few rehab appearances, and is likely to return toward the end of the month. Outfielder Eric Patterson should be right on his heels with an early September return after straining his neck. He is also on reassignment starting Thursday.
Though he couldn't run at full speed on Tuesday, Jason Varitek is scheduled for an end of the month return. His broken foot recovery was always a few weeks behind Pedroia's, and as soon as he feels comfortable running the catcher should be on the docket to return by the end of August.
