Sandoval plans on return to Giants

Pablo Sandoval plans to sign a minor-league contract to return to the Giants, a person with knowledge of his intentions said Thursday.

MLB.com first reported Sandoval’s pending return.

He technically will not be free to agree to any deal until 1 p.m. EDT on Friday upon clearing waivers. Giants general manager Bobby Evans declined to confirm the team’s interest in bringing back “Kung Fu Panda.”

The Red Sox released Sandoval on Wednesday when the third baseman didn’t report after being designated for assignment last week.

The slugger never was healthy enough to live up to the expectations that came with the $95 million free-agent contract he signed in 2014 shortly after helping the Giants win their third World Series title this decade. At the time, he had pondered an offer from the Giants worth close to $100 million over five years.

With the Red Sox unable to find a team willing to take on part of his salary, the 2012 World Series MVP moved on after a total of 161 games, 575 at-bats, 136 hits and 14 home runs in Boston. None of those came in the postseason.

In San Francisco, Sandoval delivered in October. His lasting memory, for now anyway, is the moment he leaned back on bent knees and raised his arms in triumph after winning another World Series in 2014.

Sandoval publicly insisted after the Oct. 31 victory parade that he wanted to retire with the Giants. He was coming off a three-year deal that guaranteed him $17.15 million.

About a month later, however, he was gone.

Sandoval is batting .212 with four homers and 12 RBIs in 32 games this season.