Sandoval owed 2nd-largest amount of 'dead money' ever after DFA
Parting with "Panda" will cost the Boston Red Sox an exorbitant amount of money.
After designating the faltering third baseman for assignment Friday, the Red Sox will now essentially be paying Sandoval approximately $49.5 million to not play for them until his contract expires following the 2019 season (he has a $5-million buyout in 2020).
That amount is eclipsed only by the $68.4 million the Los Angeles Angels paid outfielder Josh Hamilton after trading him to the Texas Rangers in 2015, according to MLB Network's Jon Morosi.
In December 2012, Hamilton had signed a five-year, $125-million deal with the Angels, though his time in Los Angeles was marred by injuries. Though he was only three seasons removed from winning the American League MVP award in 2010, Hamilton never lived up to his mammoth contract with the Angels, slashing just .255/.316/.426 in 240 games over two seasons in California before it was discovered he'd relapsed into a prior drug addiction.
Finally, in April 2015, the Angels agreed to ship Hamilton back to the Rangers, though Los Angeles continued to pay the majority of his salary, with Texas chipping in just $2 million each season.
The Angels are still paying Hamilton $26.4 million this year, though he'll finally come off their books at the end of the campaign.