After battling a left forearm contusion, jammed thumb and right elbow contusion, Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval has been diagnosed with pneumonia, according to CSN New England’s Sean McAdam.
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Sandoval to Be Re-Examined Saturday
Thursday, Sept. 24
McAdam added that Sandoval sounds “unlikely” to return to the field in 2015, although Saturday’s testing should provide more clarity on that front.
“Right now he’s still very ill,” Boston interim manager Torey Lovullo said, per Tony Lee for ESPN.com. “He has a significant upper respiratory infection. We all know what that means. … We’re trying to keep him away from the healthy players.”
As a result of the illness, Sandoval hasn’t appeared in a game since a Sept. 20 showdown against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Sandoval signed a five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, but he hasn’t produced like the star Boston thought it was getting.
During his first season in Beantown, Sandoval is batting .245 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI. And while his season got off to a hot start thanks to a .312 average in April, his production has fluctuated between average and subpar ever since.
A .298 batting average in June provided a glimmer of hope, but Sandoval fell back to earth by batting .241 with 13 strikeouts and a single home run in July.
Sandoval’s opening act in Boston hasn’t gone as planned statistically, and a smattering of injuries has only hindered matters for a player and team who have both underwhelmed in the face of lofty expectations.
With his season potentially over, Kung Fu Panda can focus on getting healthy and improving at the plate during his second season in the American League spotlight.
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