Dustin Pedroia has been through a pretty grueling recovery process.
Pedroia underwent cartilage restoration surgery on his left knee back in 2017 and only appeared in three games for the Boston Red Sox in 2018. The second baseman didn’t feel 100 percent after coming back last season, and in turn, decided to take more time to recover properly, sitting out the remainder of the season while the Red Sox marched to the World Series title.
The 35-year-old noted he probably would do things a bit differently if he was given the option to, indicating he wouldn’t have undergone surgery.
“No, I wouldn’t have done it,” Pedroia said as transcribed by WEEI.com. “I just, I mean, I don’t regret doing it, but looking back and knowing what I know now, I wouldn’t have done it. You know what I mean?”
Pedroia added that he could’ve changed recovery styles and rehab treatments instead of getting the surgery.
During the cartilage surgery, Pedroia received a graft of donor tissue, but he doesn’t seem to believe his left knee will ever be 100 percent again.
“Do I get my knee 100 percent?” Pedroia said. “Well, (expletive), it ain’t even my knee. It’s somebody else’s, bro. My right knee is 100 percent.”
Boston’s longtime second baseman concluded by saying he needs to play smart this season because he doesn’t want to undo the hard work and rehab he’s done in the last couple of years.
