Giants' Pablo Sandoval DFA'd After Playing 11 of 13 MLB Seasons with Team

The San Francisco Giants have designated infielder Pablo Sandoval for assignment.

The 34-year-old began his career with the Giants in 2008 and played two-and-a-half seasons in Boston before returning to the West Coast in 2017. 

On Monday, Sandoval made his first start at third base in more than a year when Evan Longoria was benched with soreness. After season-ending Tommy John surgery, Sandoval returned to the field in 2020, logging just 18 hits in 82 at-bats to slash .220/.278/.268. It's a downward trend from his level of play when he returned to the Giants: In 548 plate appearances through 200 games in 2018 and 2019, he belted 23 home runs and 33 doubles and batted .259/.311/.466.

There was pressure on Kapler to act after the Giants signed 2017 All-Star Justin Smoak to a minor league deal Wednesday. The Milwaukee Brewers released Smoak, 33, after a dismal start to the season. He will report to San Francisco's alternate training site. 

Manager Gabe Kapler praised Sandoval during the postgame in August, when he put the infielder in to rest Longoria during a blowout:

"Pablo has gone through some stuff this year, and I think everybody has. There are a lot of people that have dealt with family issues and things away from the field and things we don't have that much control and power over, and Pablo is no exception. He struggled through those things and has shown a lot of fight. It hasn't been easy to date for him, and he continues to come to the ballpark every day and put on a smile and show a lot of grit. That's what I've seen from Pablo recently."

Despite this vote of confidence, it appears to be an end of an era for Sandoval in the Bay Area. If it is, the two-time All-Star had a good run during his first stint with the club, playing a key role on three championship teams and winning the 2012 World Series MVP.