TORONTO — Dustin Pedroia going down with a hamstring injury was supposed to be another flashing red light signaling the end of the Red Sox’ 2015 season.
Forget about what he means to the team as a leader. Just look what he was doing on the field: .306 average, .367 on-base percentage, 14 doubles, nine homers, and 29 RBIs. And he had finally become the No. 3 hitter the Red Sox needed (they entered Monday ranked 24th with a .724 OPS from the three-spot).
But Pedroia’s injury forced 22-year-old Xander Bogaerts into the role he had long projected to fill.