Left-hander Patrick Sandoval has signed a two-year, $18.25 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, sources tell Jeff Passan of ESPN. Sandoval, 28, is coming off Tommy John surgery and is expected to return in the second half. He gets a strong deal with Boston looking toward 2026 as well. Nonetheless, Sandoval experienced a healthy market in free agency as many teams looked to buy low on a high-upside arm.
Red Sox Sign Patrick Sandoval
The California native struggled in 2024 before tearing his elbow injury in his 16th start. It’s possible his elbow was already bothering him, as he posted a 5.08 ERA with 81 strikeouts, 35 walks, and eight home runs across 79 2/3 innings.
Even after surgery, Sandoval was projected to earn over $5 million in 2025 via arbitration. Additionally, the Angels controlled his rights through 2026.
Los Angeles could have kept Sandoval as low-cost, low-risk pitching depth on a low-commitment contract. As the active Angels look to contend and benefit from an improved farm system starting in 2025, Sandoval might have provided a significant boost once healthy.
Instead, the Angels decided to risk losing him for nothing rather than assume a smooth recovery process.
When healthy, Sandoval is a useful mid-rotation starter. Over his career, he has logged 536 innings with a 4.01 ERA (108 ERA+). His best stretch came between 2021 and 2023 when he posted a 3.53 ERA (122 ERA+) across 380 1/3 innings.
Despite his success, many evaluators believe Sandoval featured untapped potential. He has excelled at inducing ground balls and suppressing quality contact throughout his career. He has also experienced various degrees of success with his slider and changeup.
The Angels’ track record in player development leaves room for speculation that Sandoval could thrive even more with targeted adjustments.
The Red Sox might sign Sandoval with hopes of increasing his strikeout production once healthy. His career strikeout percentage of 22.7% is roughly league average, but it falls short of expectations for a pitcher of his talent. When paired with his high career walk rate of 10.1%, this strikeout rate limits his ability to dominate hitters.
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