Dustin Pedroia Is Feeling Great And Ready To Hit Leadoff On Opening Day, Says Having Surgery Was A Mistake

Just a few days after the Red Sox won the World Series, manager Alex Cora said that Dustin Pedroia would be the team's Opening Day leadoff hitter assuming everything goes as planned.

"If he's ready to go, I think that's the only game he's going to lead off next year. He'll lead off Opening Day," Cora said at the time. "I told him that a few months ago because he deserves it. So Mookie won't lead off one game next year. That's the goal."

Since then, it's been announced that Andrew Benintendi will be the team's leadoff hitter in 2019 instead of Betts; however, the promise to Pedroia still stands.

"I appreciate him (Cora) doing that," Pedroia said, per MLB.com's Ian Browne. "He better not give me too many days hitting leadoff, I might stay there. But I appreciate that. These guys have seen how hard I've worked and what I'm trying to get back from. To give me that opportunity would be cool."

Pedroia appeared in just three games last year coming back from surgery in October 2017, a cartilage restoration in his left knee that he said was a mistake.

"No, I wouldn't have done it," Pedroia said, per ESPN.com's David Schoenfield. "I don't regret doing it, but looking back and knowing what I know now, I wouldn't have done it."

The 35-year-old also said he may have rushed his return.

"I think the difference was last year everyone wanted me to come back better than I was before, instead of just coming back," Pedroia said. "I might have pushed it too hard or done too much, but as far as following directions, I followed every step. I think some of the directions were, timing wise, a little off."

The most important thing is that Pedroia feels great and ready for a bounce back season.

"I'm enjoying it," per Browne. "Every day I show up, I'm having fun. I'm not worried about anything. I'm enjoying having the opportunity to play. This offseason, it wasn't that bad. It was more rest. The human body can only take so much, so you've got to let it heal. But I mean, obviously when I started going again it was tough, but it wasn't like the year before. Maybe that's why I feel so good now. I healed up, got some rest, my body's recovered, and I'm excited."