Five questions the Red Sox must answer
1. Can Pablo Sandoval play third base?
The Red Sox open camp with eight spots of their lineup spoken for. The only question is whether Sandoval can play third base. Sandoval has a .651 OPS over 129 games since agreeing to a five-year, $95 million deal before the 2015 season. He missed most of 2016 recovering from shoulder surgery, an injury that was suddenly discovered after he reported to spring training out of shape and lost his job. To his credit, Sandoval used the year off to get in significantly better condition. How that translates to the field is ultimately what matters. The Sox seem convinced Sandoval can at least be adequate, as their only other options at third are utility players Brock Holt and Josh Rutledge. Sandoval may never be worth the money the Sox invested in him, but it’s not too late to salvage something out of his acquisition.
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