What is Dustin Pedroia doing these days? Let’s take a look at where the former Boston Red Sox star is now and what he’s up to now that his playing days are over.
Where is: Dustin Pedroia?
Born in Woodland, California, Pedroia was a multi-sport start going into high school. However, his foray into football ended during his freshman season when his ankle was broken on a hit delivered by Lance Briggs, who would go on to be an All-Pro linebacker in the NFL. Fortunately, Pedroia’s high school baseball career did not suffer as he posted a .448 batting average as a sophom*ore, a .459 average as a junior and a .445 average as a senior.
After a strong college career at Arizona State, Pedroia was selected by the Red Sox in the second round of the 2004 MLB Draft. He made his MLB debut in 2006, spending time at shortstop and second base in 31 games in Boston that year.
The following season, the Red Sox had turned to Pedroia as the team’s starting second baseman at age 23. Pedroia faced some early struggles as a rookie before bouncing back to win Rookie of the Year honors, hitting .317 with a .823 OPS in 2007, helping the team win a World Series title. Pedroia followed that up with an MVP season in 2008, hitting .326 with a .869 OPS.
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A four-time All-Star, Pedroia played his entire career in Boston. While he was one of the league’s best infielders for much of his career, Pedroia was slowed by injuries later on. The final few years of his career were derailed following a knee injury sustained on a now-infamous slide into second base by Manny Machado.
At 5-foot-9, 170 pounds, Pedroia was on the smaller side for an MLB star. However, the .299 career hitter and four-time Gold Glove winner overcame his physical shortcomings on the field while also emerging as a respected leader in the clubhouse.
Where is he now?
The 39-year-old Pedroia’s career ended in a strange state of purgatory due to ongoing injury issues. He played just nine MLB games between 2018 and 2019 as he attempted to get back on the field. Pedroia attempted to play in 2020, but ultimately missed the season due to a setback with his injured knee.
Pedroia officially retired from baseball on Feb. 1, 2021. Since then, he’s transitioned to being a full-time husband, father and youth baseball coach in Arizona, where he lives with his wife, Kelli, and his three sons, Dylan, Cole and Brooks.
Pedroia made a cameo appearance at spring training this year as a guest instructor for the Red Sox, making the trip as a favor to Red Sox manager -- and former teammate -- Alex Cora.
However, the gig was a temporary one. Cora noted that Pedroia is a long way away from taking up a bigger role as an MLB coach. Until then, Pedroia says that he’s going to focus on his family for now before considering a second career as a coach.
“Obviously, I’ll do anything for Alex,” Pedroia said in February. “What he meant to me and my career, the way he helped me and the things he taught me. He asks, I’m there. But as far as like a major role with the organization, I’m not there yet. My kids are young, so I’m still focused on them and helping them out before I jump into anything like that.”
Pedroia’s former manager, Terry Francona, backed up that sentiment in June.
“I don’t need to speak for Pedey, but I think if Kelli ever allows him. ... I think she wants him to be home with the kids and good for her,” Francona said. “I think he wants to be home with the kids.
Pedroia has expressed some disappointment with the way his career ended, particularly the fact that he wasn’t able to say goodbye to the game on his own terms. The former second baseman says that he can still move. However, his lingering injury issues make it so he can’t do it every day.
“When I take ground balls with my 11U team, the kids are like, ‘Why aren’t you still playing?’ I’m like, ‘Well, tomorrow I won’t be able to walk,’” he said. ‘Like I could still do it. I just can’t do it every day. And that’s the sport.”
While Pedroia may not be playing on the field anymore, he is still on the Red Sox payroll. According to Spotrac, Pedroia is one of two players who continues to receive deferred payments from Boston (the other being Manny Ramirez).
Coincidentally, that $2 million in salary is the exact same amount the Red Sox are paying their current starter at second base, Christian Arroyo, this season.
Pedroia is set to be paid by the Red Sox until the 2028 season, with annual payments jumping to $2.5 million in 2025, per Spotrac.
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Previous installments of “Where is...”
- Where is Vince Wilfork, former Patriots star and beloved big man?
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