Red Sox reportedly add another starting pitcher, agreeing to 2-year deal with Patrick Sandoval
Sandoval won't be ready to pitch until the second half of the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June.
The Red Sox have added another arm to their starting rotation.
Left-handed pitcher Patrick Sandoval and the Red Sox have agreed to a two-year, $18.25 million deal, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Friday.
While the move gives the Red Sox more depth to their starting rotation, Sandoval won’t be ready to go when the season begins. The 28-year-old underwent Tommy John surgery in June. He’s expected to return in the second half of the 2025 season, according to Passan.
Sandoval has pitched with the Angels since they called up late in the 2019 season. He had a few solid seasons from 2021-23, going 16-28 with a 3.53 ERA, over 69 starts in that stretch. He had a career year in 2022 when he went 6-9 with a 2.91 ERA, 1.339 WHIP, and 151 strikeouts in 148 2/3 innings pitched over 27 starts.
The 2024 season wasn’t a good one for Sandoval, though. After being selected as the Angels’ Opening Day starter, Sandoval went 2-8 with a 5.08 ERA, 1.506 WHIP, and 81 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings pitched over 16 starts.
Sandoval had some better outings in the final handful of starts he made (3.96 ERA in last five starts), but he was pulled after 2 1/3 innings in his final start of the season. It was determined a few days later that the ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching arm needed to be repaired, ending his season.
Sandoval is the second starter the Red Sox have added to their rotation this offseason. They pulled off a major trade to land White Sox ace Garrett Crochet earlier in December, filling the team’s need for a top-of-the-rotation starter and a lefty.
Even after the Crochet trade, the Red Sox had been rumored to still be in the market for another starting pitcher. Boston could still add another starting pitcher this offseason as Sandoval won’t be ready until the second half of the year, The Boston Globe‘s Alex Speier reported. The Red Sox have been linked to free agents Corbin Burnes and Walker Buehler while they’ve also reportedly shown interest in acquiring one of the Mariners’ starting pitchers via trade.
Boston currently has the bulk of its starting rotation set to return for the 2025 season. Righties Tanner Houck, Brayan Bello, and Kutter Crawford along with Crochet and veteran Lucas Giolito, who missed the 2024 season due to an elbow injury, would presumably make up the Red Sox’ starting rotation if they didn’t make any more moves.
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