The Boston Red Sox proceed to make sure they’ve pitching depth transferring ahead.
In response to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Crimson Sox and 28-year-old left-hander Patrick Sandoval have agreed to a two-year, $18.25 million contract.
Sandoval, who has spent every of his prior six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, underwent Tommy John surgical procedure in June. As a result of his estimated arbitration wage of round $5.5 million for 2025, the Angels non-tendered the veteran.
Though a number of groups expressed curiosity in Sandoval, the Crimson Sox landed him to enhance on its ERA of 4.04 from the 2024 season, which was seventeenth in MLB per TeamRankings. Boston lately traded for Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet earlier than signing Sandoval.
Whereas Sandoval’s 2024 season was reduce brief, he confirmed what he can do with the Angels. From 2021-23 with Los Angeles, Sandoval posted an ERA of three.53 with 373 strikeouts. His most spectacular season got here in 2022 when he lowered his ERA to 2.91 and had 151 strikeouts and 60 walks throughout 27 begins. That kind of manufacturing positioned Sandoval because the Angels’ second-best starter within the rotation behind Shohei Ohtani throughout that interval.
The primary draw back to Sandoval’s final three seasons with the Angels has been his improve in ERA from his profession low of two.91 in 2022 to five.08 in his shortened 2024 season.
Possessing an efficient changeup and slider, the hope is that Sandoval can return someday in 2025 and be absolutely out there for the 2026 season. He joins the proficient lefty Crochet, Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito and Kutter Crawford as important items to the Crimson Sox rotation.
Whereas Sandoval’s pitching skill is just not assured to be the identical as earlier than his surgical procedure, he presents nice upside and provides the Crimson Sox additional depth, which they have been on the lookout for heading into the offseason.
