Patrick Sandoval's impressive Red Sox debut creates intriguing trade deadline opportunity

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Patrick Sandoval's impressive Red Sox debut creates intriguing trade deadline opportunity originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Boston Red Sox have now won 11 of their last 13 games, finishing off a second sweep in a row by defeating the Chicago White Sox today, 2-1. Even with their battered starting rotation, they held firm, keeping Chicago to one run.

What helped immensely was the newly reinstated Patrick Sandoval dominating in his first outing since his Tommy John surgery in 2024, giving Boston another starter to rely on, and potentially flip.

Sandoval’s rehab had its ups and downs​

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Sandoval sat out all of last season, and started his rehab at AA Portland at the beginning of this one. There, he had 1.13 ERA, 11 Ks and a WHIP of 0.500 over eight innings in two starts. He then moved on to AAA Worcester, where things got a bit rocky.

In Worcester, he pitched 15 innings over six starts, where he posted a 0-2 record, a 4.60 ERA, 11 Ks, and a WHIP of 1.596. However, that didn’t seem to matter today during his start against the White Sox.

Sandoval dominated in his return​

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Standing in for Connelly Early, Sandoval started against Chicago, looking to help Boston get back-to-back sweeps on the road. He went for four and a third innings, striking out five batters and only giving up one earned run.

He then got in a bit of a jam in the bottom of the fourth, where he then was taken out after throwing 65 pitches, 41 of which were strikes.

For a guy who hadn’t pitched at the MLB-level in well over a year, that is a great statline for a debut.

Good things can happen if Sandoval keeps it up​

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With how the starting rotation is looking, Sandoval has around three more starts, four at most before the rotation is fully healthy. By that time as well, the trade deadline will have rolled around.

If Sandoval can repeat his performance he had today, at least somewhat, in those next few starts, he could net Boston something good at the deadline; especially since his contract runs out after this season.

Hopefully, he continues to pitch well, and Boston lines up some suitors for him.

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