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Pablo Sandoval Recalled to MLB Roster by Giants After Brandon Belt Injury

Joseph Zucker

The San Francisco Giants announced Saturday they added Pablo Sandoval to the 25-man active roster after placing Brandon Belt on the seven-day concussion protocol.  

The Giants signed Sandoval, who played with the team from 2008 to 2014, on July 22 after the Boston Red Sox released him a few days earlier. In 32 games, Sandoval is batting .212 with four home runs and 12 RBI.

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reported the Giants will re-evaluate Belt for a concussion after he was hit by a pitch from Arizona Diamondbacks starter Anthony Banda.

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Pavlovic noted Belt has had three concussions already in his career, so the Giants may opt to shut him down for the rest of the season since they're already well out of the playoff race.

If that's the case, then Sandoval would have an extended opportunity to make an impression on the Giants or another MLB team over the remainder of the campaign.

The 30-year-old enjoyed a successful stretch during his first spell with the Giants. He helped the team win three World Series titles and was the World Series MVP in 2012.

Still, fans know better than to expect the same hitter who had a .294/.346/.465 slash line during his seven seasons in San Francisco. The fact the Red Sox released Sandoval two-and-a-half years into a five-year, $95 million deal illustrates how poorly he was playing in Boston prior to his departure.

Sandoval didn't exactly tear the cover off the ball with the Giants' Triple-A affiliate, the Sacramento River Cats, either. He went 6-for-29 with one homer and three RBI in nine games.

With nothing left to play for over the next month, however, the Giants have good reason to call up Sandoval. Not only is he an experienced replacement for Belt, but the team can also get a better idea as to whether he'll offer any value going forward.

   

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