This off-season has been pretty wild. Now, Patrick Sandoval seemed like a fixture in Anaheim. And suddenly, out of nowhere, he becomes a free agent. This non-tender decision by the Angels really threw a curveball, especially considering Sandoval was coming off a solid season. Non-tendering such a potential player, who had a pretty good year as a starter and has shown flashes of being a key piece for the Angels, felt like a gamble.  

Maybe the Angels are going for a more drastic roster shake-up, or perhaps they’re just cutting ties with players who aren’t part of the long-term vision. Now, the Red Sox swooping in with a two-year, $18.25 million deal feels like a smart, low-risk, potentially high-reward move. Sandoval is still young, so he has time to show what he is capable of.

Patrick Sandoval makes his feelings known about the Angels’ move 

It’s easy to see why Patrick Sandoval was caught off guard by the whole situation. In a chat with Chris Castillo of Masslive.com, Sandoval said, “I wasn’t expecting it at all.” The 28-year-old was obviously assuming he would return to the Angels, which makes sense given his young age, good performance, and of course, because he had been a part of their rotation. Sandoval further mentioned that it was a complete surprise when he received a call “two minutes before the tender deadline” without any prior notice. This last-minute call must have been quite upsetting.

“I understood, me coming back from injury, they might not want to pay me that money to just sit and rehab for a year. And they have the right to do that.” In a sense, Sandoval was compelled to begin a new phase of his career a bit sooner than anticipated because of this decision. But it also seems evident that his value was still there—possibly even higher than he realized—because the Red Sox quickly signed him to a two-year contract. But for the Angels? Did they make a mistake by letting him go, or were they just rightly severing their connection with the injury risk?

The Red Sox’s huge gamble of signing a recovering pitcher 

The Red Sox appeared to have a plan this off-season, and signing Patrick Sandoval fits just right. Sure, Sandoval is recovering from elbow surgery and will probably miss a significant portion of his first season in Boston, but it’s an intriguing trade. Patrick Sandoval’s decision to join the Boston Red Sox looks like a perfect opportunity.  

Plus, who wouldn’t want to pitch in Fenway Park? For a former Angels pitcher, joining a franchise with such a rich history of success and playing in one of baseball’s most iconic ballparks must feel great. Sandoval saw the Red Sox’s pitch as a chance to take his career to the next level. The confidence that Boston showed in the Orange County boy was a big part of the decision.  

However, it’s still unclear exactly how the Red Sox intend to use him. The 28-year-old might start the season as a bit of a wildcard given his elbow recovery. However, Sandoval might play a more versatile position or be a reliable middle-of-the-rotation arm once he’s well. Although the California native isn’t expected to be an ace right away, he may rapidly establish himself as a vital member of the Red Sox’s pitching staff.

Do you think Patrick Sandoval made the right decision in choosing Boston?