Red Sox take Dustin Pedroia off rehab assignment because of knee soreness

Dustin Pedroia (shown in spring training) has played just nine major league games the last two seasons.barry chin/globe staff file/Globe Staff

The Red Sox on Monday returned second baseman Dustin Pedroia from his injury rehabilitation assignment with Double A Portland for what was termed “minor” soreness in his left knee following an examination in Boston.

It’s another setback for the 35-year-old Pedroia, who has played only nine major league games over the last two seasons because of ongoing knee problems.

Pedroia opened the season on the injured list and was activated April 9. He was 2 for 20 in six games then returned to the injured list April 18 after feeling pain in knee after taking a swing in a game against the Yankees April 17 in New York.

Pedroia joined Portland May 2 and was 4 for 16 in five games before being shut down again.

Pedroia told manager Alex Cora on Sunday that he doesn’t feel the issue was major and he was just being cautious.

“I was surprised, honestly,” Cora said. “Hopefully it’s nothing.”

There is no timetable for when Pedroia will return. But president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said the hope is Pedroia will be sidelined for only a few days before rejoining a minor league team.

Position players can spend up to 20 days on a rehab assignment. Pedroia had already logged 11 days. Now the clock is re-set.

Both the Sox and Pedroia have said he would have to be able to play on three consecutive days before returning.

Rookie Michael Chavis has started 16 games at second base since Pedroia went on the injured list. He has hit .282 with six home runs and 19 RBIs in 20 games since being called up.

Presidential power?

President Trump has claimed credit for the Sox playing well.

“Has anyone noticed that all the Boston @RedSox have done is WIN since coming to the White House!” Trump wrote on Twitter on Monday. “Others also have done very well. The White House visit is becoming the opposite of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated! By the way, the Boston players were GREAT guys!”

The Sox are 3-0 since some of their players visited the White House on Thursday. They also won five of the six games prior to the visit.

Rare Rockies visit

The Sox host the Colorado Rockies for a two-game series starting Tuesday. It will be Colorado’s fifth series at Fenway Park, the first since 2016.

The Sox are 1-2 in interleague games this season, losing a series at Arizona in April. But the Red Sox are 10-1-3 in their last 14 series against National League teams and are 38-11 in their last 49 interleague games, including victories in 28 of the last 35.

Chris Sale is the scheduled starter Tuesday. He is 1-5 with a 4.50 earned run average on the season but in his last four starts has allowed only five earned runs over 26 innings and struck out 42. Only four Colorado players — Charlie Blackmon, Ian Desmond, Chris Iannetta, and Mark Reynolds — have faced Sale before. They are 7 of 35 (.200) with 11 strikeouts.

Sale will face lefthander Kyle Freeland, who has allowed 16 earned runs over 17 innings in his last three starts. Freeland will be facing the Sox for the first time in his three-year career.

Durable Devers

Rafael Devers is the only Sox player to appear in all 41 games this season. He has hit .414 (29 of 70) with a 1.062 OPS over the last 17 games with 18 RBIs and 15 runs . . . The Sox have won five straight. They have not won six in a row since last Aug. 2-6 . . . Red Sox starters have a 3.18 ERA over the last 28 games . . . Portland third baseman Bobby Dalbec was named the Eastern League Player of the Week. He was 8 of 16 with four home runs and seven RBIs in four games. Dalbec hit three home runs Saturday night at Trenton. Dalbec, who had 32 homers last year between Salem and Portland, homered again Monday night.