When the Red Sox signed Patrick Sandoval back in December, the expectation was that they would need to be patient as he worked his way back from surgery on his elbow in the offseason. Sandoval had not expected to be on the free-agent market, but the Angels, surprisingly, let him go, and the Red Sox swooped in with a two-year contract that is backloaded for 2026–$5.5 million as he rehabs this season and $12.75 million for next season.
While Boston was not counting on Sandoval to be on the mound in the early stages of 2025, there was some hope that he would be back in the second part of the year, at least to get his feet wet before he goes into the offseason. Alas, it’s now doubtful that is going to happen.
After moving forward with his rehab early in the spring, Sandoval has stalled out, and the Red Sox now are not counting on him pitching this year.
Alex Cora: Sandoval ‘Just Playing Catch’
Manager Alex Cora, speaking to the media this weekend, said that Sandoval had been pitching off the mound, but that had to be pulled back.
“But he wasn’t moving the way he was moving early, so right now we’re just playing catch and doing the things he needs to do to keep the arm going,” Cora said via MassLive. “But not throwing bullpens. Just kind of slow down the pace.”
Patrick Sandoval Has a 19-45 Record
Sandoval is only 28, and still has promise as a starter, though he is far from ace material. In six years with the Angels, he has a 19-45 record, with 100 of his 107 appearances coming as a starter. The record is a function of pitching for the Angels, but with a 4.01 career ERA and a WHIP of 1.392, Sandoval is a back-end starter on a good team.
He was 6-9 with a 2.91 ERA in 2022, his best season, in which he made 27 starts.
Red Sox Will Be Patient
Sandoval had several suitors after the Angels cut him loose this winter, but the Red Sox’s confidence in him–especially with the decent-sized Year 2 commitment–helped persuade him to sign in Boston.
He said in January that he expected to help the Red Sox in 2025.
“Starting to feel more and more like an athlete every day,” he said in January. “That’s kind of the biggest grind of it at the beginning, not being able to do much activity at all and then slowly ramping up. I’m in a good spot and I feel really good.
“To get back and be able to compete and help this team win games down the stretch, that’s my goal for this year. To be able to work my way back and be able to compete in those games.”
Red Sox Get Bad News on $18 Million Starter