Patrick Sandoval’s next stop could say a lot about what’s left in the tank.
The former Angels left-hander is headed back into free agency this winter, and after a rough first run with Boston, his market may hinge on whether a team sees the bigger picture rather than the surface numbers. That bigger picture is exactly why Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller named Sandoval as one of eight players who could return to stardom with a change of scenery in 2027.
On the stat line, Sandoval’s 2025 return with the Red Sox didn’t exactly pop. He worked 70 ⅓ innings and finished with a 5.12 ERA, a 1.68 WHIP and a 1-7 record after making it back to the major league mound in July. But the season came with plenty of baggage attached: Boston gave him a two-year, $18.25 million deal before the 2025 season even though there was a strong chance he wouldn’t pitch that first year because of injury.
He didn’t. Sandoval spent the entire 2025 campaign rehabbing from a torn UCL before finally returning after 745 days away from the game.
And despite the ugly traditional numbers, there were still signs of a pitcher with more in him. His velocity and control looked a lot like the version Angels fans remember from before the injury, and his 3.77 FIP paints a much friendlier picture than the ERA or WHIP do. That mark was better than Gerrit Cole, Logan Gilbert and Michael King, a reminder that Sandoval still has plenty of value when the defense and batted-ball luck don’t get in the way.
That gap between results and underlying performance is what keeps the conversation alive around Sandoval. The raw production hasn’t matched the upside, but the ingredients are still there for a bounce-back that could make him one of the sneaky best signings of the offseason.
If that rebound is going to happen somewhere, Anaheim makes a lot of sense.
Sandoval, an Orange County native, had his best stretch with the Angels, where he became a key part of the rotation from 2021 to 2023. His 2022 season stands out most: a sub-3.00 ERA and a 3.09 FIP made him one of the most overlooked lefties in the sport. He then spent just another season and a half in an Angels uniform before moving on.
A return now would probably come on a one-year deal, not the kind of multi-year commitment that sends clubs scrambling in free agency. That would give Sandoval a familiar mound and a fresh chance to rebuild his value, while also giving the Angels an experienced starter to add some balance to a younger rotation.
If there’s still superstar potential hiding in that arm, a homecoming could be the place where it finally shows itself.
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