Report: Red Sox 2B Dustin Pedroia playing through torn ligament in thumb
Dustin Pedroia has played with a torn ligament in his thumb. (Brian Kersey/Getty Images Sport)
Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia has been playing despite a completely torn ulnar collateral ligament in his left thumb, according to reports from the Boston media last night.
Pedroia hasn't missed a game this season with an injury that normally takes about eight weeks to heal. He hurt his thumb sliding into first base in the season opener with the Yankees. Doctors said he wouldn't risk further harm by playing through the injury.
Pedroia was apparently most upset that news of his injury was about to become public.
“Yeah, I’m smarter than a lot of people think I am,’’ Pedroia said. “I understood. You go and come back in eight weeks — that’s a lot of ballgames without one of the team’s best players, so my job’s to go out there and do the best job I can to help the team win. That’s the way I look at things.’’
...“People shouldn’t know if you’re 100 percent or not. It is what it is, and it’s my responsibility to perform well,’’ Pedroia said. “My mindset is if I’m nicked up, I have to find other ways to perform. That’s the way I think about it. Maybe I’m crazy.’’
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