One year after the Red Sox signed Pablo Sandoval to a 5-year, $95 million deal, the third baseman is slated to start the 2016 season on the bench.
The Red Sox announced on the team’s website that Travis Shaw will be the team’s starting third baseman to open the season.
During spring training, Shaw batted .333 in 57 at-bats. Sandoval, who came into camp seemingly out of shape and battled injuries, batted .244 in 41 at-bats.
Shaw was also errorless in 90 innings in the field, while Sandoval had four miscues in 84 innings.
"I’ve had a chance to meet with both guys this morning, as I’ve met with them numerous times throughout the course of spring training," Farrell said in a story on the team’s website. "For right now, to start the season, we feel this is the best for our team to go with this alignment."
Sandoval came to the Red Sox in 2015 after leading the San Francisco Giants to a third World Series title in five years. Sandoval batted .279 in 2014 with 16 home runs and 73 RBIs, but he did his best work in the postseason, batting .429 in the World Series. For his career, Sandoval is a .344 hitter in the postseason.
But his 2015 season was a disappointment by most accounts, hitting just .245 with 10 home runs and 47 RBIs in 126 games.
Shaw came into his own in 2015, batting .270 but hitting 13 home runs in just 270 at-bats – about a half-season of work. Playing first base for the Red Sox, Shaw showed a propensity for getting on base. He hit two home runs in spring training to continue the power trend.
Boston kicks off the schedule in Cleveland on Monday, April 4.
The Red Sox head into the 2016 season hoping to bounce back after finishing in last in consecutive seasons and three times in four years (the team won the World Series in 2013).
(Copyright (c) 2016 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)