BOSTON - Pablo Sandoval is not too out of shape. Just ask him.
Sandoval, one day after being removed from the game due to dehydration, was back in Thursday's lineup and answered to concerns over his weight.
In his eyes, there is no concern. He's the same Panda from years past.
"I'm still the weight that I was last year the weight that I finished my season," Sandoval said prior to Thursday's game. "So I don't get complaints about it. I have to keep working hard, yes I do, but I don't focus about that, I focus about teamwork and try to do the best out there for my team."
There were reports that Sandoval lost up to 42 pounds entering the 2014 season, his final with the Giants. But in his first spring training with the Red Sox, there was nothing but public outcry that Sandoval was too big. It certainly didn't appear that he put as much effort - or at least had as much success - in keeping weight off over the offseason.
"The one thing we do know [about Sandoval's weight] is there is a wide range able to fluctuate and that's been consistent year-to-year with Pablo," John Farrell said. "I do know this, his work ethic in the weight room, his work ethic on the field is consistent. It has been since the first day he got on the field with us here. And yet there's been challenges that we've became aware of over the course of his career that you're trying to align a number of things and that's the consistency to the work routine as well as the nutritional side of things."
Sandoval's size came back to hurt the Sox on Wednesday night, when he was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base. Most players would have scored on a ball hit to right-center that skips past two outfielders and rolls to the wall, but Sandoval appeared to be too winded heading home to turn on the jets and score. It also looks like he had a bad read on the ball off the bat, slowing him from the start.
Nevertheless, Sandoval, who had an IV Wednesday and another on Thursday, wouldn't say that the long run home was the cause of his dehydration.
"No. Just in general. Just been a tough couple days out here; hot," Sandoval said. "But doing everything I can to be in the lineup so that's what I'm doing right now."