Overview
- The Red Sox activated Sandoval from the 60-day injured list and scheduled him to start for Boston on Thursday, July 9, marking his first major-league appearance since June 2024.
- To clear roster space for the activation, Boston optioned left-hander Alec Gamboa to Triple-A Worcester and designated right-hander Jack Anderson for assignment.
- Sandoval completed a rehab assignment that covered 18 1/3 innings with a 1.96 ERA and included a five-inning, 68-pitch outing that project him for a near-starter workload.
- The club’s decision follows a string of rotation injuries that recently removed Connelly Early and sidelined other starters, leaving Sandoval to step into an immediate innings role.
- Signed to a two-year, $18.25 million contract before 2025, Sandoval will have roughly half a season to re-establish his value for the team and for his upcoming free-agent outlook, a result that could shape Boston’s bullpen, trade moves, or rotation plans.