Sandoval (elbow/biceps) throws four innings at AAA

Saturday would be Payton Tolle’s turn, following by Patrick Sandoval on Sunday, but it looks like the Red Sox might be tweaking things. Depending on what they do, they could be aiming to move Tolle ahead of Ranger Suarez as a potential Game 2 starter in their likely Wild Card series.

Sandoval tossed a clean first inning before things unraveled for him in the second. With a runner on and two outs, he proceeded to surrender four runs on three hits and two walks. Sandoval returned to record the first two outs in the third inning before departing at 68 pitches. The 29-year-old left-hander ends the day with a 4.99 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, and a 62/29 K/BB ratio across 57 2/3 innings. He’ll take on the Rays in Tampa Bay on Sunday.

Sandoval struck out seven with 16 whiffs and a fine 34 percent CSW, but he gave up plenty of hard contact, and as per usual this year, not enough of it was on the ground. He’s now 1-5 with a 4.58 ERA, though it should be noted that the Red Sox have prevailed in all five of his no-decisions. He’ll likely face the Rangers on Tuesday and then finish out the regular season in the rotation. The Red Sox will just hope they don’t need him as a starter in October.

Sandoval struck out two, needing 80 pitches to record 12 outs. The left-hander was making his 10th start since returning from elbow surgery, and he’s up to a 4.41 ERA. A seven-run debacle against the Pirates in mid-August is doing a lot of the damage. Still, Sandoval doesn’t have much fantasy upside next time out against his former team, the Angels.

On most nights, allowing just one earned run would be enough for a pitcher to, at worst, get hit with a no-decision. Unfortunately for Sandoval, when the opposing pitcher is Cam Schlittler, as it was on Friday, one earned run can prove to be too much. Sandoval’s lone blemish came in the third inning when he allowed a solo homer to Paul Goldschmidt to put the Yankees up 1-0. Sandoval wouldn’t allow another run the rest of the night and was pulled in the sixth inning after loading the bases after recording just one out. It’s a tough way to close out the month for Sandoval, who allowed two earned runs or fewer in four of the five starts he made this month. If he can replicate tonight’s outing in his next start, Sandoval could find himself on the winning side of things when he toes the rubber on Wednesday at home against the Mariners.

Sandoval surrendered a solo homer to Willy Adames in the first inning. Andrew Knizer later went yard for a solo homer in the third. The two solo homers would be all the damage the Giants would do as Sandoval pitched into the sixth, collecting six strikeouts. The 29-year-old left-hander will take a 4.54 ERA, 1.76 WHIP, and a 41/18 K/BB ratio across 39 2/3 innings into a start against the Yankees in New York on Friday.

Sandoval struck out six and walked three as his ERA ballooned to 4.76. This was only his seventh start since returning from a multi-year absence due to elbow surgery. It was also the second straight in which his velocity was down. Brayan Bello has thrown well out of the bullpen lately, which could put pressure on Sandoval to pitch well enough to stick in the rotation. His next start lines up at home against the Giants.

Sandoval gave up eight hits despite allowing just two hard-hit balls, as the Boston’s infield defense was not at its best tonight. The Red Sox dropped to 5-1 in Sandoval’s six starts. Sandoval is 1-1 with a 3.30 ERA during that span. He’s due to face the Pirates on Sunday, if the Red Sox are willing to let him work on four days’ rest. They weren’t last Sunday, which is why they used a bullpen game that day instead.

It’s the first win credited to Sandoval, but the Red Sox have gone 5-0 in his starts since he was activated last month, with Sandoval amassing a 3.38 ERA and a 25/10 K/BB in 24 innings. He has another kind matchup coming up against the A’s at home on Sunday.

The runs both came on solo homers. Sandoval allowed only three other hits and finished the night with 18 whiffs and a fine 36 percent CSW. In four turns to date, he’s done a nice job of keeping the Red Sox in games without showing a ton of fantasy potential. He has a 3.32 ERA and a 20/6 K/BB in 19 innings. That has yet to get him a win, but Boston is now 4-0 with him on the mound. He’ll likely face the White Sox next week.