BOSTON -- It's possible that Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia will require season-ending surgery on his fractured left foot, according to a team source.
Pedroia's medical records are being examined by two foot specialists who had not previously been involved in his care, and manager Terry Francona said after Wednesday night's 4-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners that the team hoped to speak with Dr. Robert Anderson later that night.
Francona appeared to downplay the possibility of surgery in his postgame news conference. Asked if it was accurate to say whether surgery had been ruled out for Pedroia, he said:
"I've never heard that before. We haven't talked about that. Surgery.''
Haven't talked about the possibility of surgery? "No."
Pedroia has said he had been warned that he was risking surgery if he came back too soon before the bone was healed. Francona alluded to that Wednesday night.
"We [haven't had] the phone call, either,'' Francona noted. "You guys might be reaching for something that's not there.''
The other specialist being consulted is Dr. Jonathan Deland, but according to Francona he is currently in Austria.
Pedroia originally incurred the injury when he fouled a ball off his foot on June 25 in San Francisco and missed a total of 44 games before being activated on Aug. 17. He played only two games before returning to the disabled list with discomfort. Pedroia had returned to the lineup after the team's medical staff cleared him after a two-game rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Pawtucket.
Pedroia did not have a CT scan before he was cleared, according to the source. He also admitted, before he resumed playing, that he didn't expect to be 100 percent for the rest of the season.
"He's a little bit sore," Francona said earlier Wednesday. "There's no reason to push it right now because he's on the disabled list. We would like, for his peace of mind, for everybody's peace of mind, to get more information. Then we'll move forward."
Pedroia talked recently with NBA legend Michael Jordan, who suffered a similar foot injury during his playing days. Pedroia said the conversation, though brief, was productive. Francona managed Jordan during his brief minor league baseball career and the two have kept in touch.
"[Pedroia] had an interest in talking to him, and I don't bug Michael very much but I thought because it was Pedey, he'd probably get a kick out of it, which I think he did," Francona said. "It was a good conversation."
Gordon Edes of ESPNBoston.com contributed to this report. Joe McDonald covers the Red Sox and Bruins for ESPNBoston.com. Follow him on Twitter.