Red Sox Appear To Have Plenty Of Faith In Pablo Sandoval
By Matthew Geagan, CBS Boston
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Boston Red Sox have high hopes for Pablo Sandoval making an impact on the 2017 season.
It was evident on Monday when manager John Farrell called the third baseman "one of the keys" for a Red Sox team looking to replace David Ortiz's production in the lineup.
"That's not to put it all on him, but here's a left-handed bat who is a proven guy and has every opportunity to make a major impact on our team this year," Farrell told reporters down at the Winter Meetings in Washington, DC.
Then came Dave Dombrowski, telling reporters that Sandoval is significantly slimmer than he was when he reported to camp rivaling a hot air balloon last spring. The Red Sox president added that Sandoval is "in the condition that we would like him to be in," and shortly after, a picture of a skinny Sandoval made its way to the interwebs:
The Sandoval PR Train started chugging on Monday. It was clear on Tuesday why it departed the station, as Boston shipped Travis Shaw to the Milwaukee Brewers as part of a package for reliever Tyler Thornburg. It appears the Red Sox are all-in with Sandoval heading back to the hot corner in 2017, hoping he can put the shoulder surgery and other issues that clouded his 2016 season in the past.
That possibility remains just as cloudy after a bumpy first two seasons in Boston for Sandoval. He put up .245/.292/.366 splits with 10 homers and 47 RBIs in 2015, the first year of his five-year, $95 million contract. He lost his job to Shaw to start 2016 after showing up to Spring Training out of shape and overweight. He appeared in just three games last season, going 0-for-6 with four strikeouts, a walk and a broken belt, and his campaign was over in May when he went under the knife.
But Shaw never become the power-hitting third baseman the team thought they caught a glimpse of in 2015, when he clubbed 13 homers in 65 games, and Dombrowski cashed in on his potential (along with a pair of prospects) for a late-inning reliever the team sorely needed. So for now, Sandoval looks to be Boston's Opening Day third baseman (also in the mix for some time at DH). Both Farrell and Dombrowski are exuding faith that, now that he's healthy and in-shape, Sandoval can return to the form he displayed during his time with the San Francisco Giants; a tough out in the lineup and a serviceable glove in the infield.
The offseason is still young, and the Dombrowski could still add another bat who could rival Sandoval at third, along with current players like Brock Holt and highly-touted prospect Yoan Moncada. Like last year, Sandoval should still have to earn his job back.
But it appears, for now, it's his gig to lose. Again.
