Patrick Sandoval DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey writes that Boston Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval (elbow), who had a modified Tommy John surgery and internal-brace procedure a year ago, remains on track to return in the second half in 2025. Sandoval said he's steadily progressing in his rehab and is up to throwing from 90 feet and is doing three sets of 25 throws three times a week. He's set to increase his progression to four days a week in the next week or so as he builds up stamina toward bullpen sessions. The 28-year-old southpaw is still far from game action but is trending in the right direction after signing a two-year, $18.25 million deal with Boston over the winter. Because Sandoval won't pitch much in his first year in Beantown, he can pretty much be avoided in all single-year fantasy leagues to open the 2025 campaign.

The Boston Red Sox placed left-hander Patrick Sandoval (elbow) on the 60-day injured list over the weekend to make room on the 40-man roster for third baseman Alex Bregman. Sandoval signed a two-year, $18.25 million deal with the Red Sox in the offseason, but he's unlikely to be ready to make his Boston debut in 2025 until some point in the second half of the season after undergoing an internal-brace procedure on his left elbow in June of 2024. For that reason, the 28-year-old southpaw can be ignored in the majority of single-year fantasy leagues. Sandoval's strikeout and walk rates were trending in the right direction with the Los Angeles Angels last year before his injury, although he went 2-8 with a 5.08 ERA and 1.51 WHIP with 81 strikeouts in 79 2/3 innings pitched over 16 starts. At best, Sandoval is a stash candidate in deep-mixed and AL-only formats this year.

Boston Red Sox left-hander Patrick Sandoval (elbow) clarified recently that he had an internal-brace procedure, not full Tommy John surgery, on his left throwing elbow in early July of 2024. Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow said he hoped that Sandoval could join the starting rotation at some point in the second half of the 2025 campaign. The former Angels hurler started his throwing program a few weeks ago and is progressing nicely with spring training around the corner in three-plus weeks. "I'm in a good spot and I feel really good," Sandoval said. The 28-year-old southpaw's 5.08 ERA in 16 starts last year likely had a lot to do with his arm injury, and he was also pretty unlucky with a high .341 batting average on balls in play (BABIP). There's bounce-back potential, but fantasy managers in standard-sized leagues can probably ignore him in drafts since he'll miss at least half the season.