BOSTON — It’s usually pretty hard to keep Dustin Pedroia off the field, but some things are bigger than baseball.
The Red Sox second baseman left the team before Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Royals to attend funeral services for a family member. The Red Sox didn’t put him on the bereavement list for timing reasons.
“He’s left the team to attend some services for a member of their family, so our condolences go out to both Dustin and Kelly and their families, and we would expect him back here later (Monday) night, after the beginning of the game,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “We’ve not put him on the bereavement list. That requires a minimum of three games missed, so we’ll play a man short here.”
And apparently when Pedroia gave Farrell the news, he did it in the only way Dustin Pedroia knows how.
“Based on his texts, he’s envisioning a walk-off hit in the ninth, so much like Pedey’s fashion, that was his parting text (Sunday) morning before he left,” Farrell said.
The Red Sox play the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday at Fenway Park, so we’ll have to wait until then to see if Pedroia gets his wish.
Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports Images
