Update: Boston Red Sox Dustin Pedroia Will Not Need Surgery

UPDATE: Dustin Pedroia will avoid surgery for now, but cartilage damage may complicate matters in the future.

The Boston Red Sox could be without Dustin Pedroia for at least a month if it's determined that the second baseman requires surgery.

Peter Abraham of the Boston Globe is reporting that Pedroia will return to Boston today to have his knee examined so the next step in his recovery can be determined.

Pedroia injured the knee back on May 16. He fell on it while fielding the ball.

"I banged it hard and it has been bothering me ever since," he said.

An extended absence from Pedroia would put pressure on a group of infielders who have dealt with their own injury woes this season. Marco Scutaro, who was just activated off the DL, will likely see most of the starts at short while Jed Lowrie and Drew Sutton see time at second.

"It could keep me out a month," Pedroia said of the surgery. "It's not what I want. But I have to get it checked out. It's been bothering me a lot." 

His struggles this season have been pronounced and this injury certainly can't be of any help. Pedroia's average has dipped to .247, a full 50 points below his career average, and he's been only a shell of his former shelf at the plate so far.

"It's hard to hit with something wrong with your legs," he said. "I've been trying."

The Red Sox have already suffered though an injury plagued season with Pedroia. He played in only 75 games in 2010 due to lingering foot issues which constantly held him back.

It will be extremely important to get Pedroia healthy once and for all and if it takes a month, so be it.

Boston can't afford to have him out of the lineup and off the field as much as he was last season.

UPDATE: Pedroia has avoided surgery, but may have other issues to worry about.