Pablo Sandoval: Red Sox Infielder’s Belt Opens While Fouling Off Pitch

Boston Red Sox third baseman Pablo Sandoval had a tough night against the Blue Jays on April 9. Not only did he go 0-for-4, with three strikeouts, he nearly lost his pants. 

A video shows Sandoval’s belt sliding undone as he swings to hit a pitch from Blue Jays pitcher R.A. Dickey. Sandoval, 5-foot-11 and weighing 255 pounds, then finished the at-bat without a belt and struck out. 

The team demoted the longtime San Francisco Giants third baseman to a bench role this season—despite owing him more than $75 million over the next four years—in favor of the relatively-untested Travis Shaw.

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Sandoval hit a career worst .245/.292/.366 (average/on-base/slugging) with just 10 home runs and 47 RBIs last season—his first in Boston after hitting .294/.346/.465 in seven seasons by the bay. Even worse, the switch-hitting Sandoval hit just .049 (2 for 43) as a right-handed hitter against southpaws last year, which neutralized any homefield advantage he had with Boston’s Green Monster in left field.

A Blue Jays fan brought an extra belt to the game for Pablo Sandoval, who busted his mid-swing yesterday https://t.co/Mr06HfJjqK

— Baseball Fam (@ShtBallPlayrsDo) April 10, 2016

Further hurting him was Sandoval’s defense at the hot corner. Never a Gold Glove winner, Sandoval’s defensive wins above replacement for 2015 was -0.9, according to baseball-reference—his worst since his first full season in 2009. At least his belt has stayed on in the field though.

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