Pedroia Has Torn Muscle In Thumb, Hopes To Avoid DL

Dustin Pedroia has a torn adductor muscle in his right thumb and is hoping a padded brace will enable him to swing a bat. If not, he will be on the disabled list for three to four weeks.

Right now we're waiting to see how I feel the next couple of days. My swelling has gone down, the bruising in my thumb has gone down, so we'll just wait and see if I could play. If I can protect it when I hit, we'll be all right. Hopefully, I heal quick and I can get back out there and soon as I can. My ligaments and tendons are fine. It's the only muscle in the thumb. I have to wait for it to calm down and see if I can hit with a splint or a brace or something. ... If I can't do it, I think it's three or four weeks.

Over the last two weeks, since May 14, Pedroia hit only .232/.267/.250, and 12 of his 13 hits during that time were singles.

Michael Silverman, Herald:

One scout who has been following Pedroia said it has been obvious that something has not been right the way the right-handed hitter keeps flaring balls to right field. You need the right thumb to pull the ball and roll the right hand over and Pedroia has not been doing that, the scout said.

The Red Sox's medical staff and an independent doctor in Arizona all agreed that Pedroia did not suffer any ligament or tendon damage and will not require surgery.

Scott Lauber, Herald:

Pedroia has been coping with discomfort for about three weeks after being jammed on an inside fastball. He had been using extra padding on his thumb and even changed his grip during batting practice. The situation was aggravated on a swing earlier in Monday's game, not on the diving stop that Pedroia made in the fifth inning, a play that preceded his exit from the game.

Silverman says that he believes that

both the team and Pedroia realize that after the attempt is made and due diligence is conducted, cooler heads will prevail and make the wise decision that playing through this particular injury would be foolhardy.