Pablo

Sandoval

The rumors are true. Sandoval isn’t planning to retire. The 37-year-old was jettisoned by the Giants at the conclusion of spring training, but will continue his comeback effort with a stint in the independent Atlantic League. It would be a pretty remarkable story if he eventually wound up getting back to the big leagues.

Sandoval, who last played in the majors in 2021, said he’d be willing to go to the minors, but it seems it won’t be with the Giants. He got his sendoff Tuesday in San Francisco, when he singled in the second of his two at-bats.

Sandoval has officially arrived at Giants camp and will be an extreme long shot to make the club’s season-opening roster in a bench role. It’s a fascinating wrinkle for San Francisco as the 37-year-old veteran spent the first 11 seasons of his career in the Bay Area and was part of three World Series championship squads. He last appeared in the majors with the Braves back in 2021 when he got into 69 contests.

Sandoval, 37, last played in the majors with the Braves in 2021, hitting .178/.302/.342 in 86 plate appearances. There’s hardly any chance that he’ll be able to make the Giants out of spring training, but if he can put up numbers in Triple-A for a spell, perhaps he’d be added as a bench player. It seems more likely that this will just be a little farewell prior to retirement.

Sandoval, 35, hasn’t given up hope of a return to the majors, but for now he’ll head south of the border. The two-time All-Star posted a .645 OPS in 69 games for the Braves last season.

It’s the first start of the season in left for Belt. Pablo Sandoval will start at first for the Giants, with Gregor Blanco getting the night off. Belt is off to an excellent start to his 2018 season, registering a .297/.419/.532 line along with six homers and 17 RBI in 32 games.

Sandoval was dealt from the Braves to the Indians in exchange for postseason hero Eddie Rosario just before the trade deadline, and was then subsequently released by the Indians. The 35-year-old slashed a woeful .178/.302/.342 with four homers, 11 RBI and a 25/11 K/BB ratio over 86 plate appearances with the Braves. He’ll almost certainly have to settle for a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training.

Sandoval was acquired on Friday afternoon in the deal that sent Eddie Rosario to the Braves, but it appears it was just a salary dump. The 34-year-old infielder is now free to sign wherever he’d like -- and he may even wind up back with the Braves when all is said and done.

Sandoval has morphed into a solid pinch-hitting bench option for the Braves over the last few months, but they simply didn’t have a roster spot for him after swinging deals for depth outfielders Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall. The 34-year-old veteran infielder is hitting .178/.302/.342 with four homers across 86 plate appearances this season.

Infielder was the team’s term, not ours. Sandoval has played just five innings in the field this year, four in two games at first base and one at third. He’s hit .203/.329/.391 in 76 plate appearances.