Dustin Pedroia, Jonathan Papelbon and Trot Nixon were selected in December 2023 to join the Red Sox Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024. Pedroia, 40, spent his entire 17-year professional career in the Red Sox organization after the club made him a second-round draft pick in 2004.Pedroia, 40, spent his entire 17-year professional career in the Red Sox organization after the club made him a second-round draft pick in 2004. He was the 2007 American League Rookie of the Year and the 2008 AL Most Valuable Player. The four-time All-Star (2008-10, 2013) earned four Gold Glove Awards at second base (2008, 2011, 2013-14) and a Silver Slugger Award in 2008.
In his major league career, Pedroia batted .299 with 140 home runs, 394 doubles, 725 runs batted in, 922 runs scored and 138 stolen bases. He made 11 consecutive Opening Day starts from 2007 through 2017 and was the Red Sox’s starting second baseman in all 51 of the team’s postseason games over those 11 years. Pedroia was a big part of Boston’s World Series-winning teams in 2007 and 2013. He only played in three regular-season games during the 2018 championship season due to injury, but the Red Sox still awarded him a World Series ring because he remained an important presence in the clubhouse and dugout that year.
“This is the only team I know, so to get this honor is pretty special for me and my family,” Pedroia said.
Papelbon, 43, pitched in 396 games over seven seasons with the Red Sox (2005-11), with all but three of those appearances coming from the bullpen. A fourth-round draft pick in 2003, Papelbon was a four-time All-Star with Boston (2006-09) and was named the team’s Rookie of the Year and Pitcher of the Year in 2006 after the right-hander recorded a 0.92 earned run average with 35 saves in his first full major league season.
He still holds franchise records with 219 career saves, 35 saves by a rookie in a single season (2006), 20 consecutive saves converted to start a season (2006) and six consecutive seasons with 30 or more saves (2006-11). Papelbon saved 104 games at Fenway Park, the most in the history of the 111-year-old ballpark. The 2007 World Series champion earned seven postseason saves for the Red Sox — a mark that is tied for the most in franchise history — while posting a 1.00 ERA in 18 games.
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