Dustin Pedroia Has Bruised Kneecap, Expected To Play Friday

The results are back from Dustin Pedroia's exam, and the diagnosis is a bruised kneecap, per Sean McAdam.

No, I don't think they do surgery for that kind of thing.

Thus ends an 18-hour period of distress for Red Sox fans that began last night when word of the examination found its way to the press. Pedroia will bat second tomorrow night in Toronto, and all will be right in the world.

While Dustin Pedroia has certainly not been tearing the cover off the ball, it's hard to undervalue his contributions with the glove this year. It's also worth noting that the diminutive second baseman seems to have been improving of late, with seven hits in his last twenty-three at bats, and has only two strikeouts in his last 50 trips to the plate to go with nine walks.

With potential minor league replacement Yamaico Navarro also riding out an injury and neither Jed Lowrie or Marco Scutaro inspiring total confidence at the moment, the Red Sox may have just dodged a bullet.