Pablo Sandoval knocks the ball down at third base during the fourth inning of the Spring Training Game on March 14, 2016. (Photo : Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Pablo Sandoval is currently the highest player in the MLB that spends most of his time on the bench. Boston Red Sox manager John Farrell said that Sandoval will have to be patient because he will have a "key role" for the team in the future.
"Pablo's going to play I think a key role and contribute at some point this season. And for the time being, it is a difficult spot - different spot - for Pablo to be in," Farrell told Mass Live.
The 29-year-old third baseman was in the second season of the five-year, $95 million deal he signed with the Red Sox last season. However, he lost his starting job to sophomore Travis Shaw in spring training.
Nonetheless, Farrell has challenged Sandoval to stay patient and be a hard worker during the pregame workouts. He's also guaranteeing "Panda" that he will be spot starting for Shaw to keep him sharp throughout the season.
Sandoval has only played in three of the seven games of the Red Sox this season. He's started just one game and is usually a pinch-hitter with seven plate appearances with no hits and one walk, according to Baseball Reference.
In his lone start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday, he struck out three times that includes one particularly funny and sad swing. Sandoval's early season woes were summed up during a swing where his belt broke free, implying that weight and conditioning issues are still a problem.
And to make matters worse, the 2012 World Series MVP was booed by the Red Sox fans during the pregame introductions in the team's opener on Monday in Fenway Park, per a boston.com report. It was the opposite reaction showed by the fans towards David Ortiz, who is playing in his final MLB season.
No matter what Red Sox fans and baseball analysts say about Sandoval, he is a proven MLB third baseman. He is two-time All-Star for the San Francisco Giants and helped the team win three World Series championships.
As mentioned by Farrell earlier, Sandoval could play a "key role" for Boston later in the season. He is a known postseason performer who may be vital if the Red Sox made it into this year's playoffs.
The Venezuelan player is a career .344 hitter in the postseason and a very impressive .426 in the World Series. You can watch his career highlights in the video below.
