BOSTON – (Source: Official News Release) – The Red Sox announced plans to honor former second baseman Dustin Pedroia during pregame ceremonies at Fenway Park on Friday, June 25, before the 7:10 p.m. Sox-Yankees game. Pedroia, who played in 1,512 games with the club from 2006-19, announced his retirement from the Red Sox and the game of baseball on February 1, 2021.
Tickets for the June 25 game are on sale now and can be purchased on redsox.com/tickets.
During his time in a Red Sox uniform, Pedroia and his wife Kelli were active supporters of the Red Sox Foundation. To help commemorate the spirit of their charitable contributions, the Red Sox Foundation is offering fans the chance to join the “Pedey Fan Club” to raise funds for its many charitable programs. Fans who sign up for the fan club will receive a box filled with Pedroia-themed items, such as a trophy case bobblehead, a retirement hat, a greatest moments coaster set, and a laser show light-up pint glass. The fan club is $115 to join, and all net proceeds directly benefit the Red Sox Foundation. Those who sign up online at redsox.com/pedroia will receive their promotional boxes by mail in July.
Pedroia, 37, spent his entire 17-year professional career in the Red Sox organization after being selected by the club in the second round of the 2004 June Draft. A three-time World Series champion (2007, ’13, ’18), he was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and Most Valuable Player in 2008. He earned four All-Star Game selections (2008-10, ’13), four Gold Glove Awards at second base (2008, ’11, ’13-14), and a 2008 Silver Slugger Award, and is the only second baseman ever named Red Sox MVP by the Boston Baseball Writers (2008, ’12). In 2012, Pedroia was named the starting second baseman on the All-Fenway Team.
In major league history, Pedroia is the only player ever to win a World Series title and earn MVP, Rookie of the Year, and Gold Glove awards within their first two full seasons, having accomplished the feat from 2007-08. The only other players to achieve all of those accomplishments at any point in their careers are National Baseball Hall of Famers Willie Mays, Frank Robinson, Johnny Bench, and Cal Ripken Jr., as well as Pete Rose, Thurman Munson, Albert Pujols, Buster Posey, and Cody Bellinger.
Pedroia was the Red Sox’ nominee for the MLB Players Alumni Association’s Heart and Hustle Award in seven consecutive seasons from 2010-16 and was named MLB’s overall winner in 2013. The award is given annually to an active player who demonstrates a passion for the game of baseball and best embodies the values, spirit, and traditions of the game. He also received the Boston Baseball Writers’ Jackie Jensen Award in 2011 and 2014, presented annually to a Red Sox player for spirit and determination.
In the Red Sox’ 121-year history, Pedroia’s 1,506 games played rank 11th all-time and are the second-most among club second baseman, trailing only Bobby Doerr (1,865). Pedroia played in 14 major league seasons from 2006-19, tied with Doerr and David Ortiz for seventh most in franchise history behind only Carl Yastrzemski (23), Dwight Evans (19), Ted Williams (19), Tim Wakefield (17), Jim Rice (16), and Jason Varitek (15). Pedroia made 11 consecutive Opening Day starts from 2007-17, trailing only Yastrzemski (12 in left field) for the longest streak ever by a Red Sox player at any position. In the 11 seasons prior to 2007 (1996-2006), 10 different players made Opening Day starts at second base for Boston.
In his major league career, Pedroia batted .299 (1,805-for-6,031) with a .365 on-base percentage, 140 home runs, 394 doubles, 725 RBI, 922 runs scored, 138 stolen bases, and only 30 fewer walks (624) than strikeouts (654). In Red Sox history, he ranks among the top 10 all time in hits (8th), doubles (6th), runs (10th), steals (6th), extra-base hits (8th, 549), total bases (8th, 2,649), and at-bats (9th). During his 10-year stretch from 2007-16, his 50.6 wins above replacement ranked sixth in the majors behind only Robinson Canó (57.6), Adrián Beltré (56.2), Albert Pujols (55.3), Miguel Cabrera (54.8), and Clayton Kershaw (53.9), according to Baseball-Reference. In that 10-year span, Pedroia batted .303 and ranked second in the AL in doubles (371), fourth in hits (1,666), and fourth in runs scored (869).
Pedroia hit at least .300 in a season five times and was the only major leaguer to bat at least .275 in each of the 11 seasons from 2007-17 (min. 300 PA). His five games with at least five hits are the most in Red Sox history, and he is the franchise’s only player ever to record as many as six hitting streaks of 10 or more games in a single season (2016). His 25-game hitting streak in 2011 is the longest ever by a Red Sox second baseman, while his 138 steals are the franchise’s most at his position. Pedroia is the only second baseman in Red Sox history to record at least 200 hits and 100 runs scored in a season (2008, ’16). He still holds single-season franchise records in batting average (.326), runs (118), hits (213), doubles (54), total bases (322), and extra-base hits (73) by a second baseman, all reached during his 2008 MVP season. Pedroia joins Yastrzemski and Mookie Betts as the only Red Sox ever to reach 100 home runs and 100 stolen bases.
In addition to his four Gold Glove Awards, Pedroia was named a finalist at second base in 2012, 2016, and 2017. His .991 fielding percentage at second base is the highest in AL history; he owns eight of the 12 highest single-season fielding percentages at second base in Red Sox history, including a franchise-best .997 mark in 2014. Pedroia fielded 439 consecutive chances without committing an error during a stretch from 2009-10 and played 114 consecutive errorless games from 2016-17, both Red Sox records at second base. He also holds Red Sox single-season records for most games (160) and starts (159) at second base, both reached during the club’s 2013 World Series championship season.
Pedroia was the Red Sox’ starting second baseman in all 51 of the club’s Postseason games from 2007-17, as he joins Mark Lemke (Braves, 55) and Robinson Canó (Yankees, 51) as the only players ever to start at least 50 consecutive Postseason games at second base for a single team. During his 2007 rookie season, Pedroia went 3-for-5 with a home run and five RBI in Game 7 of the ALCS, as he still holds the rookie record for most RBI in an ALCS game. He is one of only two rookies ever to homer in Game 7 of an ALCS, joined by Randy Arozarena in 2020. Pedroia homered to lead off the bottom of the first inning in Game 1 of the 2007 World Series at Fenway Park; he is still the only rookie ever to hit a leadoff home run in the World Series.
In 2014, Pedroia launched the Pedroia’s Platoon program as a way to invite military members to Fenway Park during homestands, meeting with them before games and providing them tickets to his seats. He has also been involved in countless events with the Jimmy Fund, has met with several children as part of the Make-A-Wish program, and has been a regular participant in events that benefit the Red Sox Foundation.
Pedroia and his wife, Kelli, have three sons, Dylan, Cole, and Brooks. They reside in Arizona.