Pedroia won't need knee surgery

While the Yankees were dealing with the emotional fallout of the likelihood of losing pitcher Joba Chamberlain for the season, the injury news in the Red Sox clubhouse was much cheerier.

Dustin Pedroia, who missed Thursday night's game between the Yankees and the Red Sox to have his right knee examined, has a bruised kneecap and is expected back Friday night for Boston's game in Toronto.

Pedroia, who hates to fly, took a train to Boston Thursday to have the knee examined by Red Sox medical director Thomas Gill. The team announced the results of the exam during Thursday night's rain delay. But even before knowing the results of the examination, Red Sox manager Terry Francona said before the game that he expected Pedroia to be back Friday.

"I fully expect he'll be hitting second," the manager said. "I don't think he's going to miss any time. I'll be surprised if it's something different."

Before leaving for Boston, the second baseman told The Boston Globe that surgery was possible, adding that he could miss a month if he landed on the operating table.

Pedroia, a three-time All-Star, hasn't been himself this season, leading to speculation that he has been fighting through injuries. Through 59 games, he is hitting .247 with four home runs and 22 RBIs. He has 39 strikeouts, which are already more than he had in last year's injury-shortened, 75-game season.

"The knee issue is one that stems from last season," Francona said. "He's got a little bit of a cartilage issue. We all know about it."

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Pedroia first suffered the injury in May 2010 in Detroit when he stepped awkwardly while trying to score from second on a David Ortiz single. He missed only one game and most people forgot about it when a month later he fractured his left foot. In September, he underwent season-ending surgery to repair the bone in his foot. Then, on May 16 of this season, almost a year to the day he originally hurt his knee, he banged it while making a play against the Orioles. He has been complaining off and on of pain since.

"It's hard to hit when something is wrong with your legs," he told The Globe. "I've been trying."

Pedroia had been trying to put off the exam, but Francona finally insisted they make sure nothing serious was wrong.

Said Francona, "It's been nagging at him a lot this year. We just wanted to reassure us and Pedey that he can play and not hurt himself."