The book officially has closed on Dustin Pedroia's Major League Baseball playing career.
Pedroia on Monday announced his retirement after 15 seasons in the big leagues, all spent with the Boston Red Sox. The 37-year-old walks away from the game with a baseball résumé littered with accolades, highlighted by the 2008 American League MVP Award and three World Series championships.
Immediately after news of Pedroia's retirement broke, kind messages from former Red Sox teammates began to file in. Among those to honor Pedroia was fellow 2013 World Series champ Shane Victorino, whose Instagram post for the four-time All-Star included a light-hearted joke.
We'll have to wait and see what life after baseball holds for Pedroia. But we're confident the now-former second baseman will approach any and all endeavors with the same hard-working and confident mindset he showcased throughout his tenure in Boston.
