John Henry on replacing David Ortiz: ‘We need Pablo to return to form’
The Red Sox are about to have a David Ortiz-sized hole. Can Pablo Sandoval really fill it?
John Henry recently offered his thoughts on the retirement of David Ortiz. The Red Sox owner said it’s not his job to figure out how the team will replace Ortiz, but did name one player who he can see filling the void: Pablo Sandoval.
“With Papi leaving, we absolutely need Pablo to return to the form we’ve seen in the past,” Henry said of the team’s $95 million third base acquisition from the winter before the 2015 season. According to the Boston Herald’s Mike Silverman, Henry seems to believe the shapely slugger could rebound the way Hanley Ramirez has this season, “after being written off by those on the media, and internet, and all media and all fans.”
In the first year of a five-year contract, Sandoval failed to meet expectations by posting career lows across the board with a .245/.292/.366 slash line. Just as concerning was his poor performance in the field, particularly after he showed up out of shape to spring training.
Now 30, Sandoval appeared in just three games for the Red Sox in 2016 and failed to notch a hit before being shut down for the season with a shoulder injury that required surgery.
Henry also said fans shouldn’t hold out hope for Ortiz changing his mind either. “Unfortunately, I don’t think that’s in the cards,” he said.
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