The procedural move clears a spot on Boston’s 40-man roster for Alex Bregman. The 28-year-old left-hander is aiming to join the Red Sox starting rotation sometime in the early stages of the second half after undergoing an internal brace procedure last July while a member of the Angels.

Sandoval added that he started a throwing program “a couple weeks ago” and is “progressing well” in the lead up to spring training, which is just over three weeks away. The unexpected revelation dramatically alters Sandoval’s potential return timetable as the initial expectation after he signed with the Red Sox last month was that he wouldn’t be ready until the late stages of the 2025 campaign, even in a best-case scenario. The 28-year-old lefty should be ready to contribute at some point around midseason and represents an intriguing stash candidate for fantasy managers as the second half draws closer. With his signature changeup still a big-time weapon, Sandoval seems like a perfect fit for Red Sox pitching coach Andrew Bailey’s approach, which places an emphasis on attacking primarily with off-speed pitches.

The deal is now official. Sandoval boasts one of the most dynamic changeups in the game and represents a worthwhile low-risk reclamation project for the Red Sox. The 28-year-old southpaw underwent Tommy John surgery back in late June and isn’t expected to be an option for Boston’s starting rotation mix until the late stages of next season. It’ll be fascinating to see how he fares in another organization’s pitching development engine, especially one like the Red Sox, who place an emphasis on off-speed pitches.

If that’s truly the guarantee, then Sandoval has probably made out better in terms of his new contract than any non-tendered player ever. The rehabbing lefty was projected for a $5.9 million salary next season by Matt Swartz, and it’s not like he would have been in line for a big raise in 2026, which was slated to be his final year prior to free agency, after missing at least the first half of 2025 following Tommy John. Sandoval was 2-8 with a 5.08 ERA for the Angels before getting hurt last season, but he had typically solid strikeout and groundball rates. He has a career 4.01 ERA in 100 starts and seven relief appearances, all coming with the Angels.