Boston Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was a late scratch from Thursday night's lineup against the Houston Astros with left knee soreness and is listed as day-to-day.
Pedroia returned to the Red Sox lineup last weekend for the first time since undergoing a cartilage restoration procedure on his left knee in October.
A four-time All-Star and 2008 MVP, Pedroia has one hit in 11 at-bats in the three games he has played this season.
Pedroia, asked before the game about resisting the urge to push through soreness, told weei.com, "I have to be. I don't have a choice. If I come in and my knee is sore I have to get off of it; otherwise, if I play, it will be really sore and I won't be able to play."
Starting center fielder Mookie Betts was also out of the Boston lineup, for a fifth straight game, with left side tightness.
Betts leads the American League with a .359 average to go with 17 home runs and 37 RBIs.
With Pedroia out, Blake Swihart was added to the Red Sox lineup in right field and Brock Holt moved from right to second base for the opener of the four-game series against the Astros.