Pablo Sandoval recalled by Atlanta

Pablo Sandoval’s 2020 season is not over. The San Francisco Giants icon has been called up by the Atlanta Braves for the final game of the season.

Not only is Sandoval getting added to Atlanta’s roster, but he’s starting and batting cleanup. And just to make matters even more fun, he’s batting one spot ahead of his former Giants teammate Adam Duvall.

Sandoval re-signed with the Giants over the offseason, but couldn’t get his bat going following Tommy John surgery at the end of 2019. After hitting 18-82 with just 1 home run and 1 double, Sandoval was designated for assignment by the Giants.

Atlanta signed him to a Minor League deal and added him to their Alternate Training Site, where he’s been for the last few weeks prior to this call-up.

The addition to the roster for the final game would seem to bode well for Sandoval’s chances of making Atlanta’s postseason roster. That said, Atlanta has nothing to play for in the season finale, as they’re locked into the second seed in the National League (the Giants only hopes at making the postseason are as the eighth seed, so there’s no chance of facing Sandoval in the first round of the playoffs).

Unlike his good friend Hunter Pence, who announced his retirement on Saturday, Sandoval’s baseball journey continues, and his final at-bat with the Giants will not be the final at-bat of his career.

I think it’s safe to say that most Giants fans will be rooting for the Panda to have lots of success in Atlanta.