| Advertisement |
The San Francisco Giants made their reunion with third baseman Pablo Sandoval official on Saturday when he signed a minor league contract. The 30-year-old Sandoval spent his first seven major league seasons with San Francisco (2008-14), winning World Series titles with the Giants in 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Advertisement
Sandoval and will report to Class A San Jose.
Sandoval was the 2012 World Series MVP while with the Giants, but he struggled since leaving San Francisco and joining the Red Sox as a free agent. He signed a five-year, $95 million-contract with Boston after the 2014 season and was released by the Red Sox on Wednesday when he did not report after being designated for assignment.
Injuries and poor performance plagued Sandoval in Boston. He hit .245 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 2015, played in only three games in 2016, and batted only .212 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 32 games with the Red Sox this season.
Sandoval left San Francisco on bad terms following the 2014 season, claiming the team disrespected him during contract negotiations leading up to his departure.
"I have always loved and appreciated the Giants organization, my Giants teammates and the fans of San Francisco," Sandoval said in a statement Saturday. "I have so many great memories and I want to thank the organization for giving me another chance to come back here. When I left the Giants in 2014, my comments were emotional, insensitive and misguided and I truly regret and apologize for my actions. I am committed to working hard to contributing to the success of the Giants."
In his seven seasons in San Francisco, Sandoval hit .294 with 106 homers. In 39 postseason games, Sandoval owns a .344 average with six homers and 20 RBIs. He hit .429 in the 2014 World Series.
Sandoval hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series and the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers in four games.
