Sandoval in Giants camp in bid to make comeback
Pablo Sandoval is returning to the San Francisco Giants for a third stint with the club, this time on a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to major-league camp.
The 37-year-old Sandoval — a fan favorite nicknamed Kung Fu Panda who earned 2012 World Series MVP honors — will be attempting to get back to the big leagues for the first time since 2021, when he batted .178 with a .302 onbase percentage, four homers and 11 RBIs in 69 games with the Atlanta Braves.
“We had to sign Pablo because the workout videos he was sending me were taking up all the space on my phone,” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said.
Sandoval is a two-time All-Star who played for the Giants' 2010, 2012 and 2014 World Series-winning teams.
On Monday, the Giants posted on social media a video of Sandoval waving and smiling while arriving to Scottsdale Stadium with a big San Francisco duffel bag over his shoulder before going through the clubhouse to receive hugs and handshakes from his teammates.
He was named World Series MVP after batting .500 with three homers — all hit in Game 1 — during the Giants' 2012 fourgame sweep of the Detroit Tigers. He batted .429 with a 1.002 OPS in the `14 World Series as the Giants edged the Kansas City Royals in seven games.
Sandoval played for the Giants from 2008-14 before signing a $95 million, fiveyear contract with the Boston Red Sox, who released him in the summer of 2017. Sandoval then rejoined the Giants for a second stint from 2017-20. He was with the Braves from 2020-21.
The Giants released him in September 2020 after he'd come back in the spring from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow from September 2019. That year, then-manager Bruce Bochy — a father figure to the Venezuelan slugger — gave him one last at-bat despite the injury in what might have been his San Francisco farewell.
Now, the beloved third baseman might just get another chance.
He owns a .278 batting average, .330 on-base percentage, .443 slugging percentage, 153 homers and 639 RBIs in 1,380 career regular-season games while primarily playing third base.
Sandoval has batted .338 with a .921 OPS in 42 career postseason games, including a .426 average and 1.162 OPS in 12 World Series contests.
Merrifield, Phillies finalize 1-year deal
Whit Merrifield was willing to sign with the Philadelphia Phillies for less guaranteed money and perhaps less playing time than he could get elsewhere.
“It checked a lot of boxes for me,” the 35-year-old infielder and outfielder said Monday after finalizing an $8 million, one-year contract. “The reputation of this team and this clubhouse gets around. Watching some of these playoff games in Philadelphia, I wanted to be a part of it. I'm really thrilled.”
Merrifield gets a $7 million salary this year, and the deal includes a $8 million club option for 2025 with a $1 million buyout.
“I've been a three-time All-Star. I've led the league in hits a couple times. I've led the league in stolen bases. I've led the league in all these different things that I feel like I've proven that I'm here and that I can play,” Merrifield said. “I was an All-Star last year. I've done that. I want to win, though, so I'm here to do whatever I need to do to win and to help this team win, whether it's saying I should be the cheerleader for 162 games — I don't think that's why they brought me here, but if that's what they want me to do, I just want to win.”
The 35-year-old hit .272 with 11 home runs and 67 RBIs last season while with the Toronto Blue Jays.
“He's a complete baseball player,” right fielder Nick Castellanos said. “He plays the game the right way.”
Merrifield has 201 stolen bases and led the American League while with the Kansas City Royals three times. He topped the AL with 206 hits and 10 triples in 2019.
“He is somebody we've had our eye on for an extended period,” president of operations Dave Dombrowski said. “He can play multiple positions. We like him as a player. We were concerned at first: Would he accept the type of role we'd have on the club?”
Merrifield is expected to provide a solid righthanded bat off the bench and also play the outfield. The Phillies entered spring training without starting left fielder Brandon Marsh, who had left knee surgery two weeks ago that was expected to sideline him for three to four weeks.
“The super-utility role is underappreciated,” Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber said. “Whit's done that at a high level, pretty much since he's come into the big leagues.”
Brewers' Yelich says team can `surprise'
Christian Yelich remains confident Milwaukee can continue to contend even without departed ace Corbin Burnes and manager Craig Counsell.
After the Brewers won their third NL Central title in six years, Counsell left to manage the rival Chicago Cubs. The Brewers traded Burnes to Baltimore in a deal that brought them infielder Joey Ortiz and lefthander DL Hall.
Yelich, the 2018 NL MVP, is among veterans on a team relying heavily on younger players.
“I think that we have a chance to really surprise some people with the talent in this room,” Yelich told reporters. “We usually always find a way to be competitive, be there at the end and give ourselves a chance.”
Mets sign Voit
The Mets signed first baseman Luke Voit to a minor-league deal that includes an invitation to major league camp.
Voit, 33, batted .221 with a .284 on-base percentage, no homers and four RBIs in 22 games with the Brewers last season after hitting 22 homers with the Padres and Nationals in 2022.
He has a .807 career OPS and hit an AL-leading 22 homers for the Yankees during the pandemic-shortened 2020 season.