While notable veterans from the San Francisco Giants’ run of World Series championships in the 2010s are helping the team win now, one star of those teams is making waves for another squad this season.
That would be third baseman Pablo Sandoval. The “Panda” swatted three home runs in Game 1 of the 2012 World Series for the Giants, propelling the team to a series win against the Tigers. But this season, he’s hit three pinch-hit home runs for the Braves in the early going, a mighty impressive feat at this point of the campaign.
Here’s footage of his latest blast, courtesy of former Giant F.P. Santangelo Jr.
Even at 34 years of age (he’ll turn 35 in August), the Panda’s still got it.
Per Baseball reference, Sandoval is the first player since 1961 to have three pinch-hit home runs in the first 13 games of the season.
It’s nice to see Sandoval succeed, and it’s easier to see when the Giants still have catcher Buster Posey, shortstop Brandon Crawford and first baseman Brandon Belt helping this year’s squad to a solid start. So all the best to the Panda, until the Giants play the Braves, of course.
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