The Red Sox signed the veteran left-hander, who is recovering from Tommy John surgery, to a two-year contract

Following an approach they have used often in recent seasons, the Red Sox on Friday signed a veteran pitcher who has undergone surgery to a two-year contract.

Left guard Patrick Sandoval, who underwent Tommy John surgery last June, was given a two-year, $18.25 million contract with the hope that he can contribute in 2026. Sandoval is the second lefty the Red Sox have signed this month; On the final day of the Winter Meetings last week, the team bagged prospects for the Chicago White Sox for Garrett Crochet.

The Red Sox organization was previously devoid of lefty starters.

The deal is structured similarly to the contracts they awarded to James Paxton and Liam Hendriks, among others. This is where the club pays for a first year while the pitcher is still rehabbing from surgery, and in return receives a second year at an affordable price when the pitcher is expected to be fully healthy.

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The 28-year-old Sandoval spent the last six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, who did not sign him in November, knowing he would likely be unavailable for most, if not all, of 2025. His best season came in 2022 when he went 6-9 with a 2.91 ERA over 27 starts.

He went 2-8 with a 5.08 ERA last year before undergoing a tendon transplant to his left elbow in late June. The recovery time for pitchers who undergo the procedure is typically 12 to 15 months. Therefore, it is possible, but far from certain, that Sandoval could pitch for the Sox toward the end of the 2025 season.

Given that Sandoval can’t even pitch in 2025, it’s unlikely that this will take the Sox out of the pitching market. Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow said the team would like to add another starter to strengthen the club’s rotation.

For his career, Sandoval has a 19-45 record with a 4.01 ERA in 107 appearances, all but seven of which were as a starter.

The Philadelphia Phillies were among the other teams that expressed interest in signing Sandoval. The deal was first reported by Jeff Passan of ESPN.com.