Sandoval Has Rough Day Against Rays

(Photo Credit: Forrest Mulheron/New England Baseball Media)

Sandoval Has Rough Day Against Rays 

Many wondered how much effort Pablo Sandoval put into his offseason workout regimen when he showed up to spring training camp looking as rotund as ever, just weeks after Red Sox manager John Farrell went on the record stating Sandoval had lost 20 pounds since the end of the season. 

We are now almost a week into Grapefruit League action and Sandoval's play in the field has done little to disprove any theories that he seemingly doesn't care when it comes to his health and fitness, telling reporters earlier this spring he has "nothing to prove."

Sandoval went 0-for-2 on Monday, including a first-pitch fly out in the bottom of the first followed by another first-pitch ground out in the bottom of the fourth. 

He also committed two errors in one inning, a throwing miscue on a Evan Longoria grounder to lead off the fourth and fielding error on a ball hit by Steve Pearce later that inning.

One can only wonder how long Sandoval's leash will be this season after an abysmal 2015 campaign which saw him hit .245/.292/.366 with just 10 home runs and 47 RBIs while committing 15 errors and posting a .949 fielding percentage. 

The Red Sox have several potential replacements for Sandoval (Travis Shaw, Brock Holt or Hanley Ramirez for example) and it may be very well possible that Sandoval loses the third base job before the team breaks camp if he continues his downward spiral.