Prodigal Panda: Pablo Sandoval enjoying renaissance with Giants

Jorge L. Ortiz | USA TODAY

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SAN FRANCISCO – Pablo Sandoval’s loud banter resonates often throughout the San Francisco Giants’ clubhouse. Fans at AT&T Park greet the announcement of his name cheerfully. Some teammates wear T-shirts bearing his likeness.

It’s as he’d never left his first baseball home.

And yet, so much has changed since Sandoval helped San Francisco claim its third championship in five years in 2014, then torched his longtime employers after signing a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox.

Back then Sandoval was a two-time All-Star third baseman with a World Series MVP trophy on his resume and hubris built by constant adulation and repeated success.

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Now he’s a utilityman who had to make the team out of spring training and serves as the Giants’ emergency catcher and pitcher – but couldn’t be happier with his lot in life.

Sandoval’s evolution and his role in the Giants’ resurgence after last year’s embarrassing pratfall has been one of the more compelling stories of the season for a team that’s trying to overcome a rash of injuries to nudge its way into playoff contention.

After completing a 7-3 homestand with Thursday’s 9-8 loss to the Colorado Rockies, the Giants hit the road with a 42-40 record, 5 ½ games out in the NL West.

In the offseason, the club refused to follow the game-wide trend to go younger, instead trading for third baseman Evan Longoria and Andrew McCutchen in hopes of making at least one more championship run behind the nucleus headed by Buster Posey, Madison Bumgarner, Brandon Crawford and Brandon Belt.

The acquisitions left Sandoval, who was picked up last July after the Red Sox released him on the heels of 2½ disastrous seasons in Boston, as little more than a spare part. Sandoval, 31, swallowed his pride and resolved to make himself an indispensable spare part.

“It was a difficult process,’’ he told USA TODAY Sports in Spanish. “They had added Longoria and McCutchen, but I wanted to be on the team and contribute as much as I could in whatever role they gave me. They’ve given me opportunities at several positions, even pitching. It’s a new role, but I’m happy. Being here every day is more meaningful for me than playing every day.’’

He’s now playing regularly in place of Longoria, who sustained a hand fracture June 14 and figures to miss at least another month. Before that, Sandoval had filled in at third, first and second – the first two starts of his career as a middle infielder – in addition to pitching a memorable inning of hitless relief on April 28. That appearance spurred a T-shirt with the message, “Let Pablo Pitch,’’ which lefty Tony Watson was wearing Thursday.

A player who used to evoke snide remarks about his lack of discipline and portly physique now draws raves from his teammates for his lively demeanor – which he always displayed – and unselfish attitude.

“It’s hard to really quantify how great he’s been since he’s been back with the team,’’ Belt said. “He’s one of those guys who just set ego aside and accepted his role and was willing to do anything he could to help the team win. Sometimes you can’t put a value on somebody like that. Just his spirit, I guess, and accepting his role, his humility, has been hugely important to us.’’

Sandoval, who’s batting .264 with a .745 OPS, acknowledges the tough times he endured in Boston humbled him and forced him to grow up. After arriving to his first Red Sox spring training out of shape, he batted just .245 with 10 home runs and a .658 OPS that season and became a target of fan and news media criticism.

A shoulder injury that required surgery sidelined Sandoval for all but three games in 2016, and midway through the 2017 season, with Sandoval hitting a feeble .212, the Red Sox finally pulled the plug and let him go despite owing him nearly $50 million.

When the Giants reached out, Sandoval jumped at the chance to return home, a prodigal son chastened over his misdeeds. And much like the father in the biblical parable, the Giants’ management welcomed him back with open arms, putting aside any ill feelings.

“From day one it’s been natural,’’ general manager Bobby Evans said. “He’s been the same positive, energetic, warm Pablo that we’ve known. You could sense the maturing process. I’ve known him since he was, what, 17 years old, and you could see the maturity of the person and the player.’’

Still, Sandoval had to win over some of his former teammates, at least the ones not named Hunter Pence, after saying Pence and manager Bruce Bochy were the only people he would miss following his departure from San Francisco.

“At first when I came back I had to work on (mending fences),’’ Sandoval said. “I admit there were some sore feelings because of the comments I had made. But thankfully my teammates extended a hand and they’ve supported me.’’

He has earned their backing by staying upbeat and making the team his first priority. McCutchen, his teammate for the first time, points out how difficult it would be for most players with Sandoval’s accomplishments to accept a bench role, especially in their early 30s.

With his locker located close to Sandoval’s, McCutchen can’t help but hear the boisterous Panda all the time, and he says those kinds of energetic personalities are essential for teams to navigate baseball’s grueling season.

He cites Michael Morse, who played with him in Pittsburgh and was also a beloved Giant, as having a similarly uplifting presence.

“In this game you fail a lot, and having teammates like that who keep you positive is something that’s really needed,’’ McCutchen said. “You have a couple of night games and then you turn around and have a 12:45 p.m. game, you may be a little tired, just going through the motions. But he kind of stops you on your tracks in the way that he is, ‘Hey, let’s go.’ It’s good to have that.’’