On June 2, hours before the opening game of a home series against the Baltimore Orioles, the Boston Red Sox gave a positive injury update on a rehabbing pitcher — no, not Garrett Crochet.
Patrick Sandoval threw off the mound at Fenway Park, according to Mac Cerullo of the Boston Herald. The lefty also did some fielding practice. Sandoval told Cerullo he intends to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Worcester on Friday, during which he will throw one inning.
The Red Sox signed Sandoval after he was non-tendered by the Los Angeles Angels before the 2025 season. He had just undergone UCL reconstruction surgery after a few regressed seasons with the Angels. so they decided to cut him loose close to when he would've been a free agent, anyway.
Much of Sandoval's recovery time with Boston has been for his UCL reconstruction, but he experienced biceps tightness that set his timeline back. Finally, it seems he may be nearing his Red Sox debut almost two years after he last appeared in a MLB game.
Red Sox pitcher Patrick Sandoval set to begin rehab assignment with WooSox on Friday
Sandoval's fit in the Red Sox's pitching staff is complicated. He's solid rotation depth if another injury pops up, but Boston's rotation has been so rock-solid (besides Brayan Bello, unless he's pitching behind an opener) that it makes no sense to force Sandoval into that mix.
At the same time, the Sox's bullpen is packed with lefties, including Aroldis Chapman, Jovani Morán, Tyler Samaniego and Danny Coulombe. Samaniego could be optioned when Sandoval is healthy, but he's been one of the better reliever options this year. The Red Sox are already having trouble finding a place to fit opt-out candidate Tommy Kahnle (who also needs a 40-man roster spot). Finding a role for Sandoval could be just as tough due to the amount of pitching depth the Sox have.
Sandoval last pitched half a season in 2024, during which he posted a 5.08 ERA, 1.506 WHIP, 81 strikeouts and 35 walks over 79.2 innings. By that season, though, he was in the throes of his decline with the Angels. His best work came in 2022 when he clocked a 2.91 ERA and 151 strikeouts, but he still had some shaky command with 60 walks over 148.2 innings.
When he's finally ready to play, Sandoval will be a quality depth addition to the Red Sox's ranks. Maybe if he bounces back to the best version of himself, he could be a solid trade deadline piece.
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