It’s been a strange and emotional season for Pablo Sandoval, so it’s only fitting that his year ended in a strange and emotional way.
Sandoval ended 2017 by hitting a walk-off home run to ensure that the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres in the worst Giants season in recent memory. The veteran infielder landed back in San Francisco this year, and even with the Giants long removed from the postseason picture, the home run was apparently quite meaningful to him.
Pablo: "I almost cried – I won't lie – when I stepped on home. I don't know how next year will go for me. I just want the fans to be happy."
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) October 1, 2017
Sandoval’s return to San Francisco was supposed to revitalize his career, but he’s pretty much been the same poor player he was in Boston. An even crueler twist of irony? Had the Giants lost to San Diego, they’d have landed the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft, but Sandoval’s walk-off ensured that the pick would instead go to the Detroit Tigers.
