Red Sox agree to two-year contract with rehabbing left-hander: Report

Red Sox agree to two-year contract with rehabbing left-hander: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox have made another investment in their pitching staff, although this one might not pay immediate dividends.

Left-hander Patrick Sandoval is in agreement on a two-year, $18.25 million contract with the Red Sox, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reports.

Red Sox fans will have to wait a bit to see Sandoval in action; he underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in late June 2024 and is expected to miss the first half of the 2025 season, per Passan.

Sandoval spent the previous six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, posting a 4.01 ERA in that span. After three consecutive seasons with an ERA over 5.00, the 28-year-old finished with a 3.62 ERA in 2021 and a career-low 2.91 ERA in 2022 with 151 strikeouts in 148.2 innings.

Sandoval was the Los Angeles Angels’ Opening Day starter in 2024 but failed to find his footing with a 5.08 ERA over 16 starts prior to his injury. So, it appears the Red Sox are buying relatively low on the left-hander with hopes that he’ll return to his past form when healthy.

Boston’s rotation is currently led by lefty ace Garrett Crochet — whom the Red Sox acquired earlier this month in a blockbuster trade — along with Brayan Bello, Tanner Houck, Kutter Crawford, Garrett Whitlock and Lucas Giolito.