When Boston Red Sox fans think about the worst contracts in franchise history, Pablo Sandoval's immediately comes to mind.
Sandoval, nicknamed "Kung Fu Panda," signed a five-year, $90 million contract with the Red Sox as a free agent in 2014. The third baseman spent his first seven MLB seasons (2008-14) with the San Francisco Giants, helping them to three World Series titles and earning World Series MVP honors in 2012.
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Those accolades helped make Sandoval a fan favorite in San Francisco, but his appeal certainly didn't translate to Boston. He struggled mightily during his Red Sox tenure, slashing .237/.286/.360 with 14 homers in 161 games. His poor performance along with his weight gain made him an easy target in Boston, especially given his lucrative contract.
Despite his big payday, Sandoval regrets signing with Boston over San Francisco in 2014. He opened up about the decision in an interview with GQ's Joseph Bien-Kahn.
“I should have stayed. I know. I learned my lesson,” Sandoval said. “But I’m happy I went through it, man, because I kept my eyes open and learned a lot of things. ...
“We make mistakes. We can make errors. And you know, it’s part of the game,” he added. “But fans don’t realize that we are human beings. We got lifestyle. We have problems, too. We have off-the-field things. And they don’t understand that.”
Boston Red Sox
The Red Sox released Sandoval in the summer of 2017. He rejoined the Giants shortly thereafter but was never able to revitalize his career in San Francisco or with the Atlanta Braves last season.
Today, Sandoval plays for the Olmecas de Tabasco of the Mexican League. The 35-year-old made headlines for running over and injuring a catcher during a game in June.