Pablo Emilio Sandoval Reyes (born August 11, 1986) is a Venezuelan-American professional baseball third baseman who is a free agent. He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, and Atlanta Braves. He stands 5 feet 10 inches (1.78 m) tall, and weighs 268 pounds (122 kg). Nicknamed “Kung Fu Panda“, Sandoval is a two-time All-Star and has won three World Series championships with the Giants. He hit three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, becoming the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, leading to his being named that year’s World Series Most Valuable Player (MVP). During the offseason, Sandoval plays for the Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League (VPBL).
In 2002, Sandoval was signed by the San Francisco Giants. Sandoval worked his way through the minor leagues and debuted with the Giants in 2008, batting .345 in 41 games. Capable of playing first base, third base, and catcher, he became the Giants’ starting third baseman in 2009, ceasing to catch that year and playing first base only occasionally. In 2009, Sandoval finished second in All-Star Final Vote balloting, batting .330 with 25 home runs and 90 runs batted in (RBIs) in his first full season in the majors. However, Sandoval struggled in 2010 and was benched during the playoffs for the 2010 World Series, which the Giants won. He lost weight before 2011 and hit .315 with 23 home runs in 117 games. Injuries limited Sandoval to 109 games in 2012, but he was selected to his second-straight All-Star Game. Then, in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, Sandoval joined Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three home runs in a World Series Game. For his contributions, Sandoval was named the World Series Most Valuable Player, as the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers. In 2013, he appeared in 141 games, batting .278, with 14 home runs, and 79 RBIs.
A free agent after the 2014 season, Sandoval signed a five-year contract with the Red Sox that offseason. Due to poor performance, the Red Sox released him in 2017. Sandoval then re-signed with the Giants, but the Red Sox remained responsible for paying his salary through the end of the 2019 season.
Pablo Sandoval Net Worth is $40 Million
Pablo Sandoval’s Salary: $5.7 Million
Net Worth: $40 Million
Salary: $5.7 Million
Date of Birth: Aug 11, 1986 (37 years old)
Place of Birth: Puerto Cabello
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 10 in (1.8 m)
Profession: Baseball player
Nationality: Venezuela
What is Pablo Sandoval’s Net Worth and Salary?
Pablo Sandoval is a Venezuelan professional baseball player who has a net worth of $40 million. Pablo Sandoval, AKA “Kung Fu Panda,” is best known for his time with the San Francisco Giants in which he was a two-time All-Star and three-time World Series champion. He also played for the Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves.
Early life
Sandoval was born to Pablo Sr. and Amelia Sandoval in Puerto Cabello, Carabobo, Venezuela. He grew up an avid baseball fan, following the careers of Omar Vizquel and Andrés Galarraga. He practiced baseball in an empty two-car garage with his older brother, Michael. His favorite players were Omar Vizquel (later his teammate on the Giants) and Andrés Galarraga. He was born left-handed, but wanted to be able to play shortstop like Vizquel. Thus, at nine, he taught himself to throw right-handed as well. He can still throw with both hands, but throws right-handed during games
MLB Career
Pablo Sandoval was signed by the San Francisco Giants in 2002, and he worked his way up through their minor league system before debuting with the major league team in 2008. The five-foot-10, 268-pounder was capable of playing first base, third base, and catcher but cemented himself as the Giants everyday third baseman in 2009. After batting .345 in just 41 games, Sandoval hit .330 with 25 home runs and 90 runs batted in during his first full season in MLB. But he struggled in 2010 and was benched for the playoffs during their World Series run. He lost weight before the next season and returned to form. In 2012, he was limited due to injuries but selected to his second-straight All-Star Game. And in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series, Sandoval joined Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson, and Albert Pujols as the only players to hit three home runs in a World Series Game. He was named the World Series Most Valuable Player as the Giants swept the Detroit Tigers. He finished the 2013 season with a batting average of .278 with 14 home runs and 79 RBIs over 141 games.
As a free agent in 2014, Pablo signed on with the Boston Red Sox. But due to poor performance, he was released in 2017. Sandoval rejoined the Giants for a second stint while the Red Sox remained responsible for paying his salary through the 2019 season. He then signed a minor league contract with the Giants in 2020 and made the team but was designated for assignment later in the year. He joined the Atlanta Braves in September 2020 and was traded to the Cleveland Indians for Eddie Rosario but was released by Cleveland immediately. Pablo played for the Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League in 2022. Sandoval also played in the Venezuelan Winter League during offseasons where he was named MVP in 2013 just months after being named the 2012 World Series MVP.
As of 2023, Pablo Sandoval’s career batting average stood at .278 to go with 153 home runs and 639 runs batted in.
Contracts & Career Earnings
In 2012, Pablo Sandoval signed a three-year, $17.15 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. Sandoval signed a five-year, $95 million contract with the Boston Red Sox in November 2014. He was released by the Red Sox in July 2017. When he was picked up by the Giants, the Red Sox were still on the hook for much of that $95 million contract. The Red Sox were actually paying $50 million for Pablo to play for another team.
Personal Life
Pablo Sandoval has a daughter from his first marriage. He divorced Yoletzade in 2010. He then married Yulimar Martins in December 2019. The Sandovals reside in Santa Monica, California.
