The San Francisco Giants released longtime fan favorite Pablo Sandoval on Thursday, hours before their season-opener against the San Diego Padres.
The Giants signed Sandoval, the 2012 World Series most valuable player, to a minor-league contract in February but his bid to be on a major-league roster for the first time since 2021 fell short.
Sandoval was a member of all three San Francisco World Series championship teams—in 2010, 2012, and 2014—and received his popular nickname, “Kung Fu Panda,” from former Giants pitcher Barry Zito. Sandoval hit three home runs during Game 1 of the 2012 World Series against the Detroit Tigers, the first two off standout pitcher Justin Verlander, and six overall in that postseason.
Sandoval, 37, batted .250 with 14 strikeouts in 28 at-bats in spring training this year. Facing long odds to win a roster spot from the beginning of spring training, Sandoval saw his chances diminish further when the Giants signed free-agent third baseman Matt Chapman midway through the spring.
Sandoval’s final hit came Tuesday night in a 3—1 loss to the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park in San Francisco. The home fans gave Sandoval a big ovation when he entered the game at third base and an even bigger one when he got the hit in the ninth inning. Sandoval understood the meaning.
“I think this is one of the most special moments I’ve had in my career,” Sandoval said afterward. “I don’t know if it’s my last at-bat here, but it was great. It was unbelievable. Getting that hit was the most important thing for the fans. Not for me, but for the fans.”
Sandoval said after the game that he wouldn’t retire if he was released by the Giants. A two-time all-star, Sandoval’s first stint with the Giants was from 2008—14. After the third World Series crown, he joined the Boston Red Sox as a free agent, had a rough time, and was released in the middle of the 2017 season.
He returned to the Giants but never regained star status while his popularity remained high. He was released in September 2020 before hooking on with the Atlanta Braves for one game that season and 69 in 2021.
Sandoval holds a career batting average of .278 with 153 home runs and 639 RBIs in 1,380 games.
