BOSTON — Dustin Pedroia wasn’t even present for the Red Sox’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night, but in typical Pedroia fashion, he found a way to make his presence felt.
Monday’s contest produced another magical moment in the Summer of Mookie, as Mookie Betts launched his 30th homer of the season in the second inning of Boston’s eventual 9-4 win at Fenway Park.
Reaching the 30-homer plateau certainly is cause for celebration, especially considering the 23-year-old right fielder joined Ted Williams and Tony Conigliaro as the only Red Sox players to hit 30 homers in a season before their 24th birthday. But Pedroia, who wasn’t …