Pablo Sandoval’s season for the Giants is over, as he’ll require surgery to repair a “significant” tear in his hamstring, manager Bruce Bochy told reporters (Twitter links via USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic). An MRI taken this morning revealed the extent of the injury.
Sandoval, 31, hasn’t approached his peak levels with the Giants in 2018, but he’s had a modest rebound all the same. Through 252 plate appearances, the Panda has posted a .248/.310/.417 with nine homers, 10 doubles and a triple. He’s logged time at first base, third base and even second base with San Francisco this year — albeit just seven innings at the latter of those positions. Though he’ll likely never return to the .292/.345/.464 (124 OPS+) form he showed from 2009-14, Sandoval’s 2018 production came out just narrowly south of league average after adjusting for park and league (97 OPS+, 97 wRC+).
The Giants will have the same decision to make on Sandoval that they did at the end of the 2017 season, as he’s technically still under contract for the 2019 season — the final guaranteed year of the ill-fated five-year, $95MM deal he signed prior to the 2015 campaign. Of course, San Francisco can keep him around for only the league minimum in 2019, with the Red Sox on the hook for the remainder of the $23MM he’s owed next year ($18MM salary plus the $5MM buyout on a 2020 club option).
Dam! Hopefully they exercise his 2019 club option for the MLB minimum.
Why do you want them to keep desperately clinging to past glory?
Because nothing was expected out of him, and he proved his haters wrong.
When healthy, he was productive for a SF team, currently on the edge of making playoffs. (5.0 GB)
5.0 games back of NL West division
So happy he is out of Boston
his ‘haters’
The Giants are so happy that the Red Sox are still stuck paying him.
Why is that? Whoever has him now will only pay the minimum regardless of anything else.
Yup. Me too. Fat slob.
WTF are you on? Panda has a better chance of getting down to a 30 inch waist then the Giants have at making the playoffs.
He’s taking up a roster spot that could be filled by a young minor leaguer. Give someone else a chance.
I agree! I like watching him play but let’s move on and bring up Shaw!
You must not understand the state of the Giants farm. He’s league average which is more than you will get out of one of the Giants minor leaguers.
I LOVE PANDA
For a major League player at league minimum who is at least replacement level when healthy? why wouldn’t you keep him around?
When you’re talking about a league minimum backup infielder; he was about as good as any team can reasonably hope for.
It’s the Giants. Of course he will be on the team next year.
There are always more Panda hats to sell.
Time for him to open a restaurant!
So glad he didn’t sign with SD
I just read an old article recently about when Preller was looking to sign Tomas and Sandoval.
Whew.. he missed two huge bullets
Totally. Of course then he traded for Kemp who was bad. Preller sure has produced mixed results for the Pads.
Kemp was hardly “bad” for the Padres. He drove in 100 runs the first year with SD and knocked in over 100 the last year he was with SD and ATA. And remember, the Pads were a horrible offensive team those two seasons. He was much better than Hosmer. As for Preller, we don’t know what orders he was under from the owner when he made the deal for Kemp and signed Shields.
Relative to his contract, he was pretty awful. Actually, he was already bad when the Dodgers traded him to the Padres — as evidenced by the Dodgers sending so much cash ($32M).
Last I checked, ballplayers hit baseballs, throw baseballs, and catch baseballs. Last I checked, contracts can’t do any of this.
It’s too much of a game to be a business and too much of a business to be a game -Bob Lemon
Good one!
EBGP commits die
I️ did that alone. A long, long time ago.
Sandoval should consider becoming a LHB full time. OPS nearly .400 lower as RHB than as a LHB.
I believe he did try this
Yeah he did briefly in Boston
He only had 59 plate appearances spread over 36 games as a right handed hitter this year. I seriously doubt that change would make a difference at this stage of his career.
In 2015 he did worse hitting lefties from the left side than he did hitting them from the right side.
Pablo need to almost never hit against lefties. Super painful to watch him try.
It’s how he came back was very rarely hitting right handed to get things goin again since he has rejoined the giants can’t remember where but it was stated by the giants staff that’s by design
I wondered how it worked when a player with a long term deal gets released. Now what happens if bobby Bonilla comes out of retirement?
His money comes in deferred payments so I think it’s a little different
I don’t think its any different than any other player. He’s under contract with the Mets. If another team wanted to pick him up; the new team would be responsible for his contract, minus the yearly league minimum.
Yeah, I’m wrong, layventsky below is correct.
In the unlikely event that he comes out of retirement, he would be signing a new contract. It would have no effect on his deferred salary, as the season that salary was for has already been completed (in 2000).
Technically, if they don’t exercise the option doesn’t that free up a bunch of money for Boston’s payroll? Wouldn’t it be wise to exercise the option for that reason alone?
Nope, the money is still Boston’s loss either way.
Nope. Boston is on the hook regardless.
Actually I think it would cost Boston the additional minimum salary on top of the contract.
Assuming nobody else picked him up.
Wouldn’t the option be voided if it wasn’t exercised before the Red Sox released him? They’re only responsible for salary that’s guaranteed at the time of release.
He had a guaranteed 5 year/$90M contract with a 6th year team option that carried a $5M buyout. The total amount of guaranteed money owed to him is $95M. He is owed $18,455,000 in 2019, all of which but the minimum salary will be paid by the Red Sox. In 2020, the Red Sox will buy out his option year for $5M.
Oh right, I forgot about the buyout.
Lamb and Panda? All NL West 3rd basemen should check themselves…
Turner isn’t looking too great on the health front either.
longo just came back
If you weigh 300lbs don’t try to sprint 90 feet.
The great Panda… Those great shakes…
First player in MLB history to go on the DL for a Gastric Bypass…
after sitting around after surgery, he’s gonna be at least three bills, probably more
Losing Sandoval to a minor league call up improves the team.
Not true at all.
The Giants are the only team that values Sandoval and that is reflected in calling a 0.1 WAR player a “big blow” to your season
He had a 0.5 offensive WAR as a backup and defensive WAR in general is suspect at best.
Grading Pablo Sandoval negatively defensively isn’t very suspect though.
Exactly. The Giants would be stupid not to let him stick around in 2019. Great production and versatility for someone making league minimum.
What hasn’t been mentioned here yet is the Panda’s 4o RBI in 230 AB’s. I’ll bet that leads the team in RBI to AB ratio.
So his production was way better than his otherwise mediocre stats might suggest.
He’s also a well-liked source of energy in that clubhouse. And if that isn’t enough, he’s responsible for Derek Rodriguez choosing to sign with the Giants (he asked Pablo, who’s opinion he respects, if the Giant’s would be a good choice for him, after the Twins cut him loose).
He loves being a Giant – and he will be missed. And he will be back on the team next year in the same role (back-up 1B/3B/utility and pinch-hitter) if he’s healthy.
You forget “releif pitcher”.
Yes, and emergency catcher – his original position. 🙂
The Giants got what they could from the Panda.
I’m shocked that he had a triple this year
It was a stand-up triple too!
still one of the best bad ball hitters i can remember, besides vladimir guerrero of course
He is coming back next season, may as well get the vasectomy over with now. No team cuts a switch hitter that can hit .250 with power, play 2 positions well enough, and sorta play 3 others (2B, C, blowout P), especially when the Red Sox are paying for $19 Million of it. God, that dollar figure never gets old, lol
The Red Sox are on the hook for $18 mil in 19’ and $5mil in 2020. – league minimum salaries.
I believe if they exercise his option it’s The Giants on the hook NOT the Red Sox.
Why would the Giants exercise his option? The hell?
Think the Red Sox are on the hook for the next year as well.
The option for 2020 will not be exercised and Pablo will collect the 5 million buyout.
Do not know about the buyout ramifications.
Who pays for the buyout? Maybe Giants.
Who pays for the option year should Giants pick it up?
Is it the Red Sox with Giants only responsible for minimum salary for MLB players (as now)? If so, maybe the Red Sox could offer something over 5 million to ensure that Giants select the buyout.
Finally, fatboy pulled a fat. Just a matter of time
What happened to all the fanbois that were stating his weight wasn’t an issue?
Look at the longevity of his career. LOL.
Jeez, what were the Red Sox thinking in signing him to that ridiculous contract. Overweight hitter that is void of power (hit over 20 HR twice as a corner infielder) and does not drive in runs. BA and OBP was sliding down on a bad trend. 95 million for 5 years? For this player? Current GM Ben Cherington made that decision, but I guess it is more of an isolated incident.
For those that don’t get why this is a big deal or why the Giants should keep him… I shake my head. He’s a decent hitter, plays multiple positions, is a fan favorite, great clubhouse guy, and is paid the league minimum. He pays off his salary in Panda hats alone.
Someone do me a favor.
What’s the metrics on Panda Bears defensive skills? I know he caught for a while but mainly interested in his 3B skills. Don’t know where to find the info. Stuff like UZR and all that other stuff.
I never cared for Panda but a true blue Sox fan friend insisted he was good, esp at Fielding. I saw his career fielding % once WAR stuff I have no clue. Thanks.
man, this is a big blow to the giant’s bullpen.
Carrying that much weight results in a lot of injuries. Looks like as he get older that it takes more training and self motivation to get in shape. Lay off the pizza and beer more.