Panda Power: Braves’ Pablo Sandoval has the best gig in baseball

Nobody in MLB has a better gig than Pablo Sandoval does with the Atlanta Braves.

The Atlanta Braves‘ season started off with a sweep at the hands of the Philadelphia Phillies, something no one expected entering Opening Weekend. They finally got back in the win column on Wednesday, as they swept a double-header against the Washington Nationals.

While things have not gone according to plan in Atlanta, there has been one consistent player on their roster, and it is bench player Pablo Sandoval. The veteran infielder is a designated pinch hitter for the Braves in 2021, and he is absolutely thriving in that role. Take Wednesday for example, where he broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the seventh inning of their second game of the day. That turned out to be the difference, as Atlanta defeated Washington 2-0.

Pablo Sandoval proving to be the Braves’ secret weapon off the bench

Sandoval has to have the best job in MLB right now. He gets to sit the majority of the game, then enter in clutch situations to smack home runs. That’s not bad at all.

After a brief stint with the Braves last season, the team brought him back on a one-year minor league contract with the chance to make the major league roster. It did not take long for him to reach the majors, as his strong spring helped him secure a spot on the Opening Day roster.

Speaking of Opening Day, Sandoval entered as a pinch hitter in their season-opener against the Phillies. In the seventh-inning of that contest, Sandoval blasted a two-run home run off Aaron Nola to tie the game up at two runs apiece. Considering what happened on Wednesday, that is serious deja vu.

Based off the start of his season, opposing pitchers should be afraid once they see Sandoval exit from the dugout with a bat and helmet because he is guaranteed home run. Well, for now, anyway.