After 14 seasons, Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia hung up his jersey for the last time, announcing his retirement on Feb. 1.
In the 2020 season, Pedroia did not end up making it out on the field for one game. He only ended up playing nine games in the past three seasons due to a knee injury in 2017 that took the best of him.
In an interview with ESPN, Pedroia said, “My biggest thing in my mind was that it could’ve been my last game and you don’t know. That’s the best way I could have approached it from little league on.”
The 37-year-old, always had the mindset that every game could be his last. In 2019 when he played his very last game, he never knew he wouldn’t be stepping back on the field. The knee injury turned into a career ending journey for number 15.
Dustin Pedroia was old the moment he stepped onto the Fenway field. This knee injury never went away nor was it ever fixed. Pedroia’s body caught up to him and he struggled even to run.
Although his years were cut short, the player did have some incredible moments on the field. This includes him getting Rookie of the Year and MVP, along with winning two World Series.
For any player, sitting back and watching your team play is hard. It’s not like he didn’t try, either. If anything, he tried harder than anyone. He kept trying and trying, but always got the same end result. He just couldn’t.
His time out on the field will be something no one ever forgets. He took advantage of every game and he knew quitting and giving up was not the answer. Trainers, doctors and coaches all told him “No” back in 2017, but he still managed to play for two more years, despite not playing every game. In 2020, the player suffered another setback in the rehabilitation of his surgicially repaired left knee that made him not play a single game that season.
Pedroia has had his fair share of injuries along with his many memorable moments in his career. He is a player who never gave up. Although it is sad to see him go, he will always be a special part of the Red Sox family. Number 15 hangs up his jersey for the last time never thinking it would be his last in 2019.
Take that in… Life happens, so cherish every game, every moment. You may never know you’re playing your last game.
