According to a report from NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic, Pablo Sandoval, a seasoned infielder, is set to reunite with the Giants this upcoming spring. It is anticipated that Sandoval will join the team on a minor league agreement and receive an invitation to big league Spring Training. Pavlovic clarifies that Sandoval’s situation differs from that of Sergio Romo, a longtime Giants reliever who returned to San Francisco last year for a non-roster deal before retiring. In contrast, Sandoval is aiming to make a comeback after his last appearance in the majors in 2021.
Sandoval, now 37 years old, began his professional career with the Giants at the age of 17 in 2004. He made his debut in the major leagues with the team in 2008 and went on to win three World Series championships before leaving for the Red Sox via free agency in 2015. However, his time in Boston was short-lived as he struggled with injuries and ineffectiveness over three seasons, leading to his designation for assignment in July 2017. Shortly after, he re-signed with the Giants and served as a bench player for the next three years, maintaining a league-average .253/.308/.437 slash line in 642 plate appearances while wearing a Giants uniform from 2018 to 2020.
In the latter part of the shortened 2020 season, Sandoval parted ways with the Giants for the second time and subsequently joined the Braves after being released by the club. He made a single appearance for Atlanta during the stretch run before returning for the 2021 season. In 69 games off the bench, he contributed to the team’s efforts before being traded to Cleveland in exchange for Eddie Rosario just before the trade deadline. However, Sandoval was released immediately after the trade without playing a game for his new team. Since then, he has played in various Latin American leagues, including a 91-game stint in the Mexican League in 2022. Sandoval’s most recent professional game was in Dubai last fall.
Considering that Sandoval is approaching his 38th birthday and has not played in affiliated baseball since the 2021 season, his chances of making the team’s 40-man roster for the upcoming season are undoubtedly slim. This is especially true given the Giants’ abundance of options at the infield corners, such as J.D. Davis, Wilmer Flores, and LaMonte Wade Jr. Nevertheless, the switch-hitting veteran boasts a career .285/.337/.457 slash line over 11 seasons in San Francisco and will undoubtedly bring his enthusiasm and experience to the Giants clubhouse this spring, regardless of whether he secures a spot on the team’s bench for the 2024 season or not.
According to the Source mlbtraderumors.com