Speaking with reporters Monday for the first time since the Red Sox signed rehabbing lefty starter Patrick Sandoval to a two-year contract, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow provided an encouraging update on exactly when the former Angel might be able to factor into Boston’s rotation.
According to Breslow, Sandoval — who had Tommy John surgery in June — has progressed enough to be expected to pitch in the majors at some point in the second half of the 2025 season.
“We think that, in the second half, he should be able to return. Exactly what that looks like, I don’t think it would make a ton of sense to speculate on,” Breslow said. “By all accounts, the procedure was straightforward. He’s making a ton of progress and we’re hopeful that he’s going to impact this team in the second half.”
Sandoval, 28, owns a career 4.01 ERA in 536 innings with the Angels and peaked in 2022, when he logged a 2.91 ERA (and 3.09 ERA) while striking out 151 batters in 148 ⅔ innings. He struggled to a 5.08 ERA in 16 starts before getting hurt last summer, though his 3.87 FIP (and 9.2 K/9) suggests he was the victim of at least some bad luck. He was non-tendered by the Halos in November and scooped up by the Red Sox as a potential late-2025 option whose main value would come in 2026.
According to a source, Sandoval’s two-year, $18.25 million contract is pretty straightforward as he’ll earn $5.5 million next year and $12.75 million in 2026. There are no additional options or performance bonuses based on games started. That suggests that the Red Sox feel comfortable with his health and expect some sort of contribution down the stretch.
“Having starting pitching depth, and especially quality starting pitching depth that is potentially available in the second half when candidly we’ve struggled over the last couple of years there, I think it could certainly be a boost,” Breslow said. “Being able to pencil him into the rotation next year makes this an even better move for us.”
“He’s not going to be able to pitch for the first half of the season, but (we) felt like it was an opportunity to bring in a left-handed starter who’s got a track record of success and recent success,” Breslow said. “We saw some opportunities to help optimize the repertoire and feel like it was a chance to think not just about the short-term but the longer-term as well.”
OTHER INJURY UPDATES:
* Breslow said reliever Liam Hendriks, who missed all of 2024 as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery, will be a full-go once spring training begins. Hendriks got close to pitching in the majors in late September but was shut down due to some minor soreness after pitching in rehab games.
“I think if we were in the postseason last year, he would have been pushing really hard to pitch in games,” Breslow said. “But obviously given that we weren’t, it just made the most sense for him to go into the offseason feeling healthy and confident, but not pushing it. He’s been throwing bullpens. He feels really good. So we expect him to have a normal spring training.”
Righties Lucas Giolito and Garrett Whitlock, who both had internal bracing procedures on their pitching elbows last year, continue to progress as well. Giolito, who had his surgery in March, told the Baseball Isn’t Boring podcast Monday that he expected to be ready for Opening Day. Whitlock, who projects as a reliever, could come back a little later because his surgery was at the end of May.
“Both Lucas and Garrett are operating on pretty similar timelines here, both making a ton of progress, rehabbing in Fort Myers and both working really hard,” Breslow said. “Again, I’m very conscious of putting a firm date out there because, the second someone doesn’t meet it, the speculation is there was some type of setback. But both are making great progress and we anticipate them being healthy for a bulk of 2025, if not the entirety.”
* Designated hitter Masataka Yoshida, who had surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder days after the season, is progressing well having spent the early part of the offseason in Boston. Breslow believes he is a consideration to make the Opening Day roster.
“He’s been in Boston rehabbing and went home (to Japan) for for the holidays,” Breslow. “He’ll be back in January. He’s making a ton of progress and again, it’s really hard to nail down a specific date when he’ll be completely healthy, but feel like he should be swinging and spring training, potentially ready for Opening Day. And then we’ll figure out in what capacity that will be.”
- BETTING: Check out our MA sports betting guide, where you can learn basic terminology, definitions and how to read odds for those interested in learning how to bet in Massachusetts.
