Terry Francona Urges Hall Of Fame Vote For Legendary Red Sox Star

BOSTON — The Red Sox have five former players on the 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ballot. Dustin Pedroia headlines that group after a sensational career in Boston that could have been even better if not for an unfortunate conclusion with injuries.

Pedroia’s first MLB manager Terry Francona still offered a raving case for Pedroia to be enshrined in Cooperstown for his Red Sox contributions.

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“He is a Hall of Fame person,” Francona said before “The Tradition” Wednesday night at TD Garden. “When you’ve managed people like that, you’re supposed to be biased and I am. This kid, he’s what you’re looking for.”

Pedroia won two World Series championships as a player and watched from the dugout when the Red Sox took home another title in 2018. He’s got the individual accolades as the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 American League MVP. Now the question becomes how much the final injury-impacted seasons will affect Pedroia’s candidacy.

“Because of the way he played the game, it was going to be hard for him not to get hurt,” Francona said. “He wasn’t the biggest body in the world. He played like his pants were on fire with every inch he had. His legs took a pounding. It is a shame, but I bet you if you go back and ask him, he probably wouldn’t take anything (back). The way he played the game, he earned a lot of respect from a lot of people.”

“The Tradition” airs Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. ET on NESN.