FORT MYERS, Fla. — The first spring sighting of Dustin Pedroia taking swings in Fort Myers was the source of much intrigue for the Red Sox. That had less to do with the condition of the second baseman’s left foot, however, than with his intriguing new hairstyle.

Could Giovanni Ribisi star in the Dustin Pedroia story?

Over the offseason, he allowed his wisps of hair on top of his head to grow longer. That prompted manager Terry Francona to leave the clubhouse to try to find the 27-year-old in one of the batting cages.

“Where’s Giovanni Ribisi?” he yelled.

Pedroia took umbrage at the characterization.

“The jokes are cool when I’m 20 and losing my hair. But I’m a grown-ass man now,” he mused. “I think it looks solid. My wife likes it.”

The amusement of Pedroia’s coiffure aside, the state of his foot obviously carried more significance for the team going forward. And though he wore a protective pad over the instep of his left foot — the one that was fractured by a foul ball on June 25, and that led him to miss all but two of the Sox’ games over the remainder of the season — and after the workout, pronounced himself healthy and able to participate in baseball activities without restrictions.

“I’ve taken groundballs, turned double plays, run the bases, I’ve done everything. I’m ready to go,” said Pedroia. “My foot is repaired. There is a screw in there holding it together. It’s a ton better. I feel great. there’s not going to be any setbacks or anything like that.”

Pedroia started his rehab almost immediately after flying home to Arizona on Oct. 6, and he started baseball activities in January, which he characterized as standard for an offseason. He was able to do normal sprint and agility work, though he did not engage in distance running, and he won’t participate in the team’s shuttle-running drill for position players.

He acknowledged that he experienced discomfort in his foot at points in his rehab. But he suggested that was more the byproduct of inactivity as it was his foot. In the end, he found a workout and rehab routine that gave him peace of mind with his foot.

“If one part of my leg isn’t firing, it’s going to affect my foot,” he said. “We kind of figured out what the problem was and the last three weeks I felt great.”

Pedroia noted the high expectations for the club after the acquisitions of Adrian Gonzalez, Carl Crawford and Bobby Jenks, among others. At the same time, he said that the Sox are accustomed to such standards.

“[Expectations are] high every year. Not a year where you come into camp and your goal isn’t to win the World Series. If it’s not, then reevaluate the organization,” said Pedroia. “We want to win. We want to win right now. Just not this year, but every year. They’re always high.”