Boston Red Sox: A Slimmed-down Pablo Sandoval Already Paying Off
Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval has already contributed more in the first game of this season than he has all last season.
If Monday’s Opening Day 5-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates is a sign of things to come for the Boston Red Sox, then fans will be in for quite the summer.
Not only was Red Sox Nation left feeling good about a solid start by Rick Porcello and a three-run blast off the bat of top prospect Andrew Benintendi, fans also had to be encouraged by the hustle of a very slimmed-down Pablo Sandoval.
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Following a pretty impressive spring, the third baseman showed off some newfound speed to begin the 2017 season. With the game scoreless going into the bottom of the fifth, Sandoval ignited a five-run outburst by legging out an infield hit to drive in the game’s first run.
The play not only sparked his teammates, but brought the Fenway faithful to their feet. The 4.1 seconds it took for Sandoval to reach first base was not only impressive, but was also symbolic of how much he has worked on his body in the offseason.
"“That’s what I was doing in the offseason, trying to get my agility back, my first step, all the quick feet I was working on,” Sandoval said following the game, via the Boston Herald. “I feel pretty good.”"
There were good feelings all around Fenway Park Monday afternoon. But, it was extra special to see a player like Sandoval basking in the moment. Following a pretty tough first two seasons in Boston, the man known as Panda is already writing his comeback story for the Red Sox in 2017. It will take a lot more of the type of effort he showed on Opening Day, but at least he got a taste of what the reward will be.
"“It felt good,” Sandoval said in response to the fan reaction. “Especially when you have the support from the fans and the teammates. You have to keep working hard to pull everything together, forget about the past, keep playing hard to do everything you can to be better this year.”"
Although Sandoval was charged with an error the following inning, the positive play on the base pads is already a good indication of what he can bring to the team. Let’s just hope it all continues.
Next: Boston Red Sox: Scenes and Top Plays From 2017 Opening Day
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