Pablo Sandoval Denies Reports He's Signing with Giants

Third baseman Pablo Sandoval denied reports he's signing with the San Francisco Giants Wednesday after MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez and FanRag Sports' Jon Heyman reported he was set to join the Bay Area club on a minor league deal.

"I'm waiting for Friday to make a decision, and the Giants are one of my options," Sandoval said, per ESPN's Marly Rivera. "I have a few teams interested but I won't be making a decision until Friday.

Sandoval, 30, was formally released by the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday after he was designated for assignment on July 14.

The two-time All-Star spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Giants and emerged as one of MLB's better hitters at the hot corner.

Between 2008-2014, Sandoval slashed .294/.346/.465 with 106 home runs and 462 RBI. Sandoval also posted 20.0 wins above replacement during his first stint in the Bay Area—a mark that ranked ninth among all third basemen over that stretch, according to FanGraphs.

Sandoval parlayed that production into a five-year, $95 million deal with the Red Sox, but his abbreviated stint in Beantown proved disastrous.

Prior to his release, Sandoval slashed .237/.286/.360 with 14 home runs and 59 RBI in 161 games over the course of two-and-a-half seasons that were plagued by injuries and issues with his weight.

If he heads back to the Giants, Sandoval would try to round into form at Triple-A Sacramento, per Heyman, as he seeks to make a triumphant return to the franchise that previously developed him into one of MLB's most feared hitters.