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In what has been a somewhat lachrymose season for the San Francisco Giants thus far, one of the few bright spots has come from veteran Pablo Sandoval. Giving energy to the clubhouse, as well as being the club’s best hitter, his performance this season has been a welcomed surprise for Giants fans this season.
On the heels of a go-ahead home-run in the bottom of the 10th inning Sunday afternoon against the Diamondbacks, Murph & Mac brought on Giants insider Andrew Baggarly to talk about Pablo’s season thus far, as well as how it’s not as simple as just replacing Longoria with him at third base.
Despite Sandoval’s unexpected success this season, recording seven home-runs, a .301 average, and a 1.000 OPS, Baggarly says the Giants are still invested in Longoria long-term.
“I don’t think it’s quite as simple as sitting Evan Longoria and playing Pablo at third base everyday,” Baggarly said. “I think that they are invested in trying to get something out of Evan Longoria because he’s under contract for three more years beyond this year.
“So even if their intent is to try to move him and get some team to take a little of whats owed to him, they are invested in him reestablishing some value and showing he can be a major league everyday asset.”
Baggarly, however, thinks the Giants need to get Sandoval on the field as much as possible in 2019.
“That being said, of course they need to find a way to get him on the field more because he is by far their best hitter,” Baggarly said. “I was shocked when I looked at his slugging percentage; .675. You know how many big-leaguers right now are out-slugging him who have as many at bats as he does? Three. Cody Bellinger, Christian Yelich, and Josh Bell. That’s it!
“We all knew he was a good mascot for this team. We all knew that he was going to bring positive energy when the team probably would need it in the clubhouse, and the fact that he’s rehabilitated his image with fans and with the organization is a great story.”
To hear the entire interview, click HERE: