Boston Red Sox Rumors: Pablo Sandoval Drops Weight, Meets With Red Sox Manager
Boston Red Sox rumors indicate that Pablo Sandoval has lost a lot of weight during the MLB offseason. These Red Sox rumors about Sandoval have been met with a lot of jokes on social media, especially from fans in Boston feeling he needs to lose even more weight. A report from Comcast Sportsnet in New England reveals it is Red Sox manager John Farrell who has stated that Sandoval has shed some weight this offseason.
Farrell reportedly met with Sandoval recently, using the offseason to touch base with some of his veteran players. Farrell also stated that he met with Hanley Ramirez, showing he is keeping tabs on the two players that the Red Sox gave hefty contract to in the 2015 MLB offseason. Farrell spoke at length about the two meetings.
“Right now, he’s roughly 20 pounds lighter than the last game he played for us in 2015. I know for a fact that both guys (Sandoval and Ramirez) went into the off-season with some clear markers, with some clear goals to achieve from a physical standpoint. Both are doing that. I can tell you this — after meeting with Hanley, I spent another day or so with Pablo. Pablo’s extremely eager to get back. He feels like he’s got to make amends for a year ago and is eager to do just that.”
Most Boston Red Sox rumors during the current offseason have been about the team improving its pitching rotation. The biggest acquisition was starting pitcher David Price, who gives the Red Sox a true No. 1 at the front of the rotation. Price will lead a staff that currently includes Clay Buchholz, Rick Porcello, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Joe Kelly. The front office also improved the bullpen by adding Carson Smith in a trade with the Seattle Mariners. The offense remains mostly the same, with a lot of money still going to Sandoval and Ramirez from 2015 contracts.
During his first season with the Red Sox, Pablo Sandoval had 505 plate appearances in 126 games. He finished the year with a 0.245 batting average, 0.292 on-base percentage, and 0.658 OPS. Sandoval also had 10 home runs, 47 RBIs, and 43 runs scored. Those weren’t the numbers that Red Sox fans were hoping to see from a third baseman making $17.6 million for the season. He is still under contract for at least four more seasons, with two years at $17.6 million and then two years at $18.6 million.
There had been some Boston Red Sox rumors about the team trying to trade Hanley Ramirez earlier in the MLB offseason. Ramirez also struggled during his 2015 season, playing in just 105 games under his new contract. Ramirez had a 0.249 batting average, 0.291 on-base percentage, and 0.717 OPS over 430 plate appearances. He also had 19 home runs, 53 RBIs, and 59 runs scored while playing in left field a majority of the time. Ramirez made $19.75 million in the first year of his new contract, but gets a big pay raise for the next three years. From 2016-2018, Ramirez will make $22.75 million before a vesting option for the 2019 season.
With less than 30 days until pitchers and catchers report for Spring Training, it is very likely that the Red Sox are done making additions this offseason. It doesn’t mean that a trade or a minor free agent signing won’t still come along, but the team is likely done making any big moves until after Opening Day. If the Boston Red Sox rumors are true about Pablo Sandoval losing a lot of weight already, it could be a good sign of things to come for fans. It also might lure the attention of excited fantasy baseball fans.
[Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images]
