BALTIMORE -- Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was out of the lineup for Tuesday night's 5-2 win against the Orioles so he could get treatment on his left knee, which has been nagging him for about 10 days.
"In the series in Toronto [from Sept. 9-11], he made that play up the middle and kind of twisted the knee a little bit on the throw," said Red Sox manager John Farrell. "It's a situation he's been managing since that series. After last night, though, there seemed there was a little more swelling in the knee and needed a day to recover and get some additional treatment."
It marked the first game off for Pedroia since Aug. 29, when he left the Red Sox for two games to attend a funeral for a family member. Farrell expects Pedroia back in the lineup on Wednesday, when Boston continues this four-game series.
Pedroia is having perhaps his best season in five years, slashing .325/.384/.452 with 13 homers and 67 RBIs.
Brock Holt left the Red Sox for two days due to a death in the family, and Farrell started Marco Hernandez at second base.
Due to the absence of Pedroia, Mookie Betts returned to leadoff for the first time since Aug. 9.