Red Sox's Dustin Pedroia may be done for season

An MRi on Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia' left wrist has come back revealing inflammation, which may be enough to effectively end his season, according to Alex Speier of WEEI.com. The organization has yet to reach a decision on the former MVP's status, but Pedroia will not be playing today against the Orioles, and could find himself on the shelf for the remainder of the season, as Red Sox manager John Farrell puts it.

The injury has apparently been nagging Pedroia, who returned from a concussion just last week, for much of the season, and may be a key factor in his poor play this year. Soreness prompted an MRI, which revealed "further inflammation", putting him in jeopardy of receiving surgery this offseason. Furthermore, Pedroia has had problems with his left hand/wrist in the past, undergoing surgery to repair a torn ligament in his thumb just last November.

The 31-year-old Pedroia has been less than stellar this season after signing a seven-year, $110 million deal last summer, which in hindsight, doesn't appear to be as much of a steal as once thought. In 609 plate appearances this season, Pedroia has hit just .278/.337/.376 with a 99 wRC+, 7 home runs, and 6 stolen bases, all of which are career lows. He has still managed to post a WAR of at least 4.0 according to both versions of the statistic, though that number is likely inflated due to some strong defensive metrics this season.

Pedroia's down season has, not surprisingly, come at the same time as the Red Sox's collapse. After winning the World Series last year, Boston has regressed to a 63-81 record (.438) as we enter mid-September, with a playoff berth all but mathematically impossible. Because of this, it may be wise to just shut Pedroia down now, as to not risk any further aggravation and keep him healthy for 2015. At the moment, Boston's top priority is getting ready for 2015, and a fully healthy Pedroia would go a long way in helping the Red Sox rebound.