Pablo Sandoval to Have Season-ending Surgery: ‘It Really Shocked Me'

PHOENIX -- It was not a surprise when the Giants announced that Johnny Cueto would have Tommy John surgery. The news a day later was a stunner, though. 

Manager Bruce Bochy said Pablo Sandoval's season is over after an MRI revealed a "significant tear." Sandoval will undergo surgery at some point next week. Sandoval was hurt over the weekend when sliding into the plate on a sacrifice fly. 

"It really shocked me," Bochy said. "I guess when he slid at home is when he did it. You never think a hamstring is going to put him out over two months."

Sandoval didn't think that would be the case. On the day he got hurt, he compared it to a 2012 injury that cost him 18 games. But an MRI showed that the tear needed to be repaired, and thus the Giants are now without their most energetic presence in the dugout as well as one of their most versatile players. 

Sandoval has played first base and third base when Brandon Belt and Evan Longoria have gotten hurt, and served as Bochy's main pinch-hit weapon. He pitched an inning earlier this season, started at second base, and was the emergency catcher. Bochy thought so highly of Sandoval's versatility and attitude that he was considering having Sandoval play all nine positions in a game at some point. 

"They all hurt, but Pablo was so valuable in all the roles he had this season," Bochy said. "This is a tough one to overcome."

Sandoval has a .727 OPS in 92 games this year, with nine homers and 40 RBI. He was scheduled to get plenty of time at first before he got hurt, and now Austin Slater may end up there quite a bit over the next week. Bochy said Brandon Belt will need another eight to 10 days to recover from a bone bruise. 

Copyright CSNBY - CSN BAY
Contact Us