Dustin Pedroia has been a familiar face to Boston Red Sox fans for more than a decade, but it sure has been a while since they’ve seen him.
The longtime second baseman played just three games last season following offseason knee surgery and resulting inflammation. His final game in 2018 was May 29th, with the Red Sox officially shutting him down for the rest of the campaign later on.
But at JetBlue Park in Ft. Myers, Fla., on Thursday, the 35-year-old made his spring training debut. He hit leadoff and played two innings at second base, roping a single in his lone at-bat and later scoring.
Following the game, Pedroia visibly was upbeat in his postgame media availability, which you can watch below.
Pedroia has been a staple for the Red Sox for so long, and though he’ll likely never be a 150-game player again, getting him back in any capacity likely will be a huge plus for the defending World Series champs.
