MLB Rumors: Return To Giants Fitting For Fan Favorite Pablo Sandoval

The San Francisco Giants will bring back third baseman Pablo Sandoval although it will be a minor-league arrangement. The 33-year-old will get a base salary of $2 million if he makes the club plus an additional $750,000 incentive pay.

Sandoval has suited up for the Giants the past two seasons after briefly departing for the Boston Red Sox. He signed a five-year deal with Boston worth $90 million. The problem is things did not turn out too well for the Venezuelan.

He struggled to fit in and dealt with several injuries. Though he tried his best to show he was worth the investment, things just went downhill for the two-time All-Star. He would be served his walking papers in 2017. Three days after he was released the Giants signed Sandoval to a minor league contract, ESPN reported.

Since then, he has been called up on several occasions when some San Francisco players go down with an injury. He played 47 games in 2017 and the number of games he appeared just multiplied from there.

In 2019, he appeared in 100 games playing the third and first bases. He also got the chance to pitch in one game, becoming the MLB's top pinch-hitters. However, injuries popped up once more with Sandoval hampered by elbow problems. He underwent Tommy John surgery. His final appearance was on Sept. 1 for the retiring manager Bruce Bochy.

The thing about Sandoval's 2019 performance is that he was able to put up decent contributions. He hit .268/.313/.507 with 14 home runs, 23 doubles and 41 RBI, the Bleacher Report reported.

Looking ahead, Sandoval is likely to remain a backup. The Giants will continue to rely on Evan Longoria as the team's third baseman with the veteran pinch-hitting when needed. it appears Sandoval has no qualms about the role he has right now, although a larger role could ensue if someone gets injured.

It has been a rollercoaster ride for the three-time World Series champion although he is with a team he loves. Despite the spate of injuries plaguing him, the Venezuelan baseball player is not about to give up and retire. He made this clear before undergoing surgery last year.

"This is not the end of my career," Sandoval said in a report from Mercury News. "I'm going to come back stronger."