Pablo Sandoval got called up by the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 5, and for him, that was a dream come true.
Sandoval, who had been released by the Boston Red Sox in July, signed a minor-league deal with the Giants, hoping to once again play for the team that first took a chance on him when he was 16 years old.
In an article posted on The Players’ Tribune on Monday, the third baseman opened up about the emotions he felt when he got the call back to the big leagues, as well as what he felt went wrong during his time with the Red Sox.
Sandoval, who dealt with a host of injuries during his two-plus seasons in Boston, believes things didn’t work out with the Red Sox because he never felt at ease after leaving the only franchise he had ever known.
“At the end of the day, I just never felt comfortable in Boston,” Sandoval wrote. “It had nothing to do with the organization, or my teammates, or the fans, or the city. Everybody was great to me. I think it was just something that happens sometimes — you don’t feel comfortable somewhere, or you don’t fit in, even if you’re in a place you chose to be.
“In Boston, I was lost.
“It just never felt like home.”
The 31-year-old now is back at the hot corner for the Giants, and apparently, that’s where he wanted to be all along.
“And I think that’s another reason I struggled so much the last couple of years: Because every day I spent in Boston, my heart was still back in San Francisco.,” Sandoval wrote.
Sandoval has been hitting in the middle of the Giants’ order since his return to the majors, but the two-time All-Star is batting just .240 with one home run and one RBI in seven games with San Francisco.
Thumbnail photo via Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports Images
