The Boston Red Sox have had one of the best pitching staffs in all of Major League Baseball, especially recently. With names such as Sonny Gray, Jake Bennett, and Payton Tolle dominating over the past few weeks, this rotation seemed nearly untouchable. Until they caught the injury bug. First, it was ace Garrett Crochet, then promising rookie Connelly Early got hurt, and now there are questions around Ranger Suarez. The depth of the rotation is really being tested right now. Luckily, a new pitcher is coming back from injury to try to help: Patrick Sandoval.
Where Has Patrick Sandoval Been?
Sandoval had signed a two-year deal with the Red Sox back in the winter of 2024, but tore his UCL in the summer of that season. This season, he’s been rehabbing through the minors. His last start was very promising. On July 4th, he pitched for Portland and was lights out. With the depth outside the current rotation being him and Brayan Bello, who had been sent down to Worcester due to struggles this season, it seems like the right time to use a guy like Sandoval for a game, then re-evaluate the rotation and such injuries during the All-Star Break.
Red Sox Debut by the Numbers
Sandoval had made his first start in over two years today against the Chicago White Sox in the series finale. Despite only going 4 ⅓ innings, there are still some bright spots to be found here. Here’s how he performed by the numbers:
One
He only allowed one walk in today’s outing. He’s always had an issue with walks throughout his career, with only one season with a BB/9 under three. The past two seasons had that stat over 4.00. Now, it is to be said that Sandoval didn’t even cross the halfway point of the game, and that will be covered in a moment. But it continues the trend of two or fewer walks by the starting pitcher over the course of this six-game win streak.
65
He threw 65 pitches in today’s outing in only 4 ⅓ innings. Compared to his last start in Portland on July 4, it’s about on par, with 68 pitches thrown in that game. In his second-to-last start in the 2024 season, he went five innings but had thrown 98 pitches.
Despite a struggle in the fifth that led to his departure, had he stayed, it’s pretty unlikely that he would’ve thrown that much in the same amount of time. Plus, it was against a pretty good team in the White Sox, who are much improved compared to a couple of years ago. It’s by no means good enough to be in the starting rotation during the postseason. But for a guy filling in after two years of no major league outings, it’s a good start.
26.3%
Again, super early to tell, but he struck out five of the 19 batters he faced this afternoon. That’s a strikeout percentage of 26.3%. For perspective, across 16 starts in ‘24, his K% was 22.9%. The five strikeouts all occurred before the end of the fourth inning. This pitching staff has been huge on strikeouts recently, having 54 over the course of this streak. The potential of Sandoval’s return to the Majors could have a positive effect on this team.
The Last Word: What Does This Mean Depth-Wise?
From a Boston perspective, this outing is very good. For a guy who hasn’t pitched in a while to have this type of outing, it provides another depth piece for the Red Sox. While Sandoval may not be a mainstay here, he is a serviceable pitcher to help out. And this start may be a sign that the Red Sox, despite injuries to their rotation, have some depth to rely on.
Main Photo Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
