Pedroia back at it this morning
Second baseman continues rehab by playing in matinée at McCoy
PAWTUCKET – How bad does Dustin Pedroia want to rejoin the Red Sox? The second baseman plans to play for the Pawtucket Red Sox, who have an 11 a.m. first pitch on Thursday.
Traditionally, it’s rare for a player on a rehab assignment to answer the bell that early. Perhaps all those early calls while participating in extended spring training games in Fort Myers, Fla. are still fresh in his memory, or Pedroia feels that with one more game with the PawSox, he’ll be done with the minor-league phase of his comeback from major knee surgery.
“I’ll play (Thursday) and be ready to go,” said Pedroia, words that suggest he would like to be activated when the Red Sox return to Fenway Park on Friday.
Pedroia went 0-for-3 with a walk as Pawtucket fell to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, 7-1,
before 5,260 fans on Wednesday night. The second baseman saw 21 pitches in four plate appearances that in order featured a ground out to second base, a walk, a grounder to shortstop, and a swinging strikeout. He faced top New York Yankees pitching prospect Justus Sheffield in his first three plate appearances and faced Joe Harvey in his first turn. Both pitchers feature fastballs that reside in the upper 90s with Harvey fanning Pedroia on a 97-mph offering.
“My timing is a little bit off, but I had long at-bats,” Pedroia said. “You’re searching to find it a little bit, but I felt good. I’m moving around good and feel that I’m right there.”
Pedroia handled his only defensive chance, a groundball in the first inning where he had to move a few steps to his left.
PawSox starter Chandler Shepherd lasted just 3.1 innings but Brandon Workman bailed out the bullpen with 2.2 innings of scoreless relief. Dan Butler and Tzu-Wei Lin each collected three hits as Pawtucket was outhit, 9-8.
***
Two of Pedroia’s former Red Sox running mates – Mike Lowell and Kevin Youkilis – are among the newest members of the Red Sox Hall of Fame and will be feted at a gala celebration in Boston on Thursday night. Pedroia and Youkilis were teammates with the PawSox in 2005 and played together for seven seasons (2006-12) with the Sox. Lowell’s first year with the Sox was 2006, which was also when Pedroia made his ma- jor-league debut.
“He not only helped me but with tons of guys with everything,” Pedroia said about Lowell. “Same thing with Youk. You have a special bond with guys like that. We were in a lot of tough games. They’re family.”
***
EXTRA BASES: Rehabbing relievers Tyler Thornburg (thoracic outlet) and Austin Maddox (right shoulder surgery) were at McCoy Stadium on Wednesday to receive treatment. Thornburg won’t be at McCoy for today’s 11 a.m. start but will be back on Friday. … The PawSox were originally slated to take the field in white jerseys with the back featuring last names above the number. The player-named jerseys – a franchise first – were hung in each locker but the team wound up wearing their red alternate jerseys. … The four-game series against the RailRiders concludes with day baseball and Justin Haley (1-5, 3.63) on the mound. … After Scranton, Lehigh Valley will be coming in for a five-game series that begins Friday and runs through Monday. ... Saturday against the IronPigs will feature a doubleheader that begins at 4:05 p.m. Between games, an on-field ceremony will take place for 2018 PawSox Hall of Fame inductees Mike Tamburro and Fred Lynn. … For the second consecutive year, McCoy Stadium will be the site of the New England Intercollegiate Baseball Association (NEIBA) All-Star Game. The contest gets underway at noon and pits Division I players against a team comprised of D-II and D-III players.