The Boston Red Sox announced Monday that third baseman Pablo Sandoval will have surgery on his left shoulder, per Christopher Smith of MassLive.com.
The team has yet to provide a timetable for Sandoval’s return. However, the Boston Globe‘s Pete Abraham reported the prognosis may not be good:
The 29-year-old is in the second year of the five-year, $95 million deal he signed with the Red Sox in November 2014. He had a disappointing first season in Boston, hitting .245 with 10 home runs and 47 RBI, and his second season hasn’t been any better, with his weight becoming a talking point in spring training, per Abraham:
Travis Shaw beat out Sandoval for the starting job at third base ahead of the regular season, and as a result, Sandoval’s involvement with the Red Sox was minimal before the team placed him on the disabled list in April with a sore shoulder. Sandoval is 0-for-6 in his seven plate appearances, with his most memorable moment at the plate coming when the belt around his pants broke:
Since Shaw is hitting .322 with three home runs and 17 RBI in 25 games, Sandoval wasn’t likely to make it back into the starting lineup anytime soon even if he had been healthy.
Monday’s announcement will at least erase any doubt as to how hurt Sandoval is, and it explains in part why he had trouble earlier in the spring. Although this looks to be the end of a rough campaign, the two-time All-Star can now focus on his recovery and preparations for the 2017 season.
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