Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval is reportedly having season-ending shoulder surgery after a disappointing start to the 2016 season.
Pablo Sandoval signed a 5-year $95 million deal with the Boston Red Sox in 2014 after winning his third World Series title with the San Francisco Giants.
He was coming off a season in which he batted .279 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI and was an integral part of all three titles the Giants won their dominance of even years (2010, 2012 and 2014).
His time in Boston has been much different.
Sandoval finished 2015 with career lows in nearly offensive category, finishing with an average of .247 and only 10 home runs.
2016 was off to an ever worse start as the $95 million man lost his starting spot to Travis Shaw, who makes significantly less than Sandoval.
After only six at bats and zero hits to start the year, Sandoval will not have a chance to prove he was the same player he used to be. At least not in 2016.
MORE: Pablo Sandoval is expected to miss the remainder of the season. (via @MarlyRiveraESPN)
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) May 3, 2016
The report that Sandoval is to miss the rest of the season is a tough blow to the player, but not necessarily to the team as a whole.
Sandoval only has six at-bats this season, but the Red Sox currently sit atop the American League East with a record of 15-10.
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His replacement, Travis Shaw, isn’t doing too bad either. In fact, he is one of the top performers in the lineup.
Shaw has an OPS of .923, which ranks second behind David Ortiz amongst qualifying Red Sox hitters. His 17 RBI is tied for second-best, while his .322 batting average ranks second behind Dustin Pedroia.
Shaw’s production is what the Red Sox where looking to get out of Sandoval when they signed him to that lucrative deal back in 2014.
This season-ending surgery is a major disappointment, but Sandoval is only 29-years-old and an entire year off can help him get back into shape, which has been a problem for him throughout his entire career.
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It is unknown what caused his injury, but a full year of recovery may actually be a good thing for Sandoval as he will look to revive his career at the age of 30.