Dustin Pedroia retires | MLB.com



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Second goal Dustin Pedroia, who played 1,512 games with the Boston Red Sox from 2006-19, announced his retirement from Major League Baseball today.

Pedroia, 37, has spent her entire 17-year professional career in the Red Sox organization after being selected by the club in the second round of the June 2004 draft. Three-time World Series champion (2007, ’13, ‘ 18), he was named American League Rookie of the Year in 2007 and MVP in 2008. He won four All-Star caps (2008-10, ’13), four Gold Glove Awards at second baseman (2008, ’11, ’13 -14) and a Silver Slugger Award in 2008, and is the only second baseman to have been named MVP of the Red Sox by the Boston Baseball Writers (2008, ’12). In 2012, Pedroia was named the All-Fenway starting second baseman.

“Dustin is so much more than his American League MVP award, all-star selections and the golden gloves he has amassed throughout his impressive 17-year career with our organization.” , said principal owner John Henry.

“Dustin has come to represent the kind of courage, passion and competitive drive that resonates with baseball fans everywhere and especially with Red Sox fans. He played the game he loves in the service of our club, its principles and in the pursuit of championships. Above all, we are eternally grateful to him for what he has brought to our club and to our region as an important role model who shows us all what can be accomplished with determination and hard work.

“Dustin has been an integral part of our club from draft day until retirement,” said chairman Tom Werner. “During his time with the Red Sox, we had the opportunity to watch Dustin become one of the best second baseman of the game as a player and to watch him grow up as husband of Kelli and father of his three. amazing children. The full impact of the Pedroia family extends far beyond the walls of Fenway Park and into the Boston community through their work with military families and the Jimmy Fund. We congratulate Dustin on his great career and thank him and Kelli for their contributions to our club and our community.

“Through the championships and the injuries, Dustin’s disciplined approach has never wavered,” said President and CEO Sam Kennedy. “His work ethic is second to none and we saw him attack his rehab in the last chapter of his career with the same intensity that he approached the batter’s surface in his prime. I know hanging up his spikes is not an easy decision for a competitor of his caliber. We are fortunate to have him in the Red Sox uniform for so long and we look forward to welcoming him back to Fenway Park to celebrate his career.

In major league history, Pedroia is the only player to win a World Series title and win MVP, Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove awards in their first two full seasons, having accomplished the feat. from 2007-08. The only other players who have achieved all of these achievements at any point in their careers are 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 nominated by the Red Sox for the Heart and Hustle Award of the MLB Players Alumni Association in seven consecutive seasons from 2010 to 2016 and was named the MLB winner in 2013. The award is presented 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 Jackie Jensen Award for Boston Baseball Writers in 2011 and 2014, presented annually to a Red Sox player for his spirit and determination.

In the Red Sox’s 120-year history, Pedroia’s 1,506 games have been contested for 11th all-time and is the club’s second second baseman, behind only Bobby Doerr (1,865). Pedroia played 14 seasons in the major leagues from 2006 to 19, tied with Doerr and David Ortiz for seventh 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 straight 2007 opening day starts at 17, behind 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 the opening day start at Boston Second Base.

In her major league career, Pedroia hit .299 (1805 for 6,031) with a .365 percentage on base, 140 home runs, 394 doubles, 725 RBI, 922 runs scored, 138 stolen bases and just 30 steps down (624) than withdrawals (654). In Red Sox history, he ranks in the top 10 of all time for hits (8th), doubles (6th), runs (10th), steals (6th), extra hits. base (8th, 549), total goals (8th, 2649) and bats (9th). During his 10-year streak from 2007 to 2016, his 50.6 wins over the substitute placed 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. During that 10-year span, Pedroia hit .303 and placed 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 big league to beat at least .275 in each of the 11 seasons from 2007 to 17 (min. 300 PA). His five games with at least five hits are the most in Red Sox history, and he’s the only player in the franchise to have recorded as many as six sets of 10 or more games in a single season (2016) . His 25-game hitting streak in 2011 is the longest ever for a Red Sox second baseman, while his 138 interceptions are the franchise’s best at his job. Pedroia is the only second baseman in Red Sox history to record at least 200 hits and 100 runs in a season (2008, ’16). He still holds franchise records in a season batting average (.326), points (118), hits (213), doubles (54), total bases (322) and extra hits (73) by one. second baseman, all achieved during his 2008 MVP season. Pedroia joins Yastrzemski and Mookie Betts as the only Red Sox to reach 100 homers and 100 stolen bases.

In addition to his four Gold Glove Awards, Pedroia was named a second base finalist in 2012, 2016 and 2017. His .991 second base field percentage is the highest in AL history; he owns eight of the 12 highest percentages in a season on the field at second goal in Red Sox history, including a .997 best franchise mark in 2014. Pedroia lined up 439 straight chances without making a mistake during a period of 2009-10 and played 114 consecutive straight-forward 2016-17 games, both of the Red Sox’s second goal records. He also holds Red Sox one-season records for most games (160) and starts (159) at second, both achieved in the club’s 2013 World Series championship season.

Pedroia was the Red Sox’s starting second baseman in the club’s 51 postseason games from 2007 to 2017, as he joined Mark Lemke (Braves, 55) and Robinson Canó (Yankees, 51) in as the only players who started at least 50 years old. consecutive post-season second base games for one team. During his 2007 rookie season, Pedroia went 3-for-5 with a homerun and five RBIs in Game 7 of the ALCS, while still holding the rookie record for most RBIs in a ALCS match. He’s one of only two rookies to ever make a homerun in Game 7 of an ALCS, joined by Randy Arozarena in 2020. Pedroia scored to lead the bottom of the first inning in Game 1 of the World Series 2007 at Fenway Park; he is still the only rookie to have made a first home run in the World Series.

In 2014, Pedroia started the Pedroia Platoon program to invite military personnel to Fenway Park during homestays, meet them before games, and provide them with tickets for its seats. He has also participated in countless events with the Jimmy Fund, met several children as part of the Make-A-Wish program, and has been a regular attendee in events that benefit the Red Sox Foundation.

Pedroia and his wife, Kelli, have three sons, Dylan, Cole and Brooks. They reside in Arizona.

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