Dustin Pedroia's been at his very best this month, but he remains a hard-nosed player, just weeks away from his 34th birthday, with a bad left knee.
Even at his best, Pedroia needs a break now and again.
"As we get some of these quick turnarounds, there’s days where he’s got some needs physically," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Today’s one of them. As we’ve talked, as we go further along in Pedey’s career, those needs pop up and today’s one of them."
Playing a day game after a night game, and wanting to keep him fresh to face a lefty tomorrow, Farrell chose today to give Pedroia a day off.