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Sandoval calls 2015 comments about Giants 'emotional' and 'misguided'

Greg M. Cooper-USA TODAY Sports

Kung Fu Panda wants to make amends.

Pablo Sandoval's return to the San Francisco Giants was made official Saturday, with the 30-year-old signing a minor-league deal to rejoin the organization he spent seven years with.

In the process, Sandoval issued a public apology to the club for the "emotional, insensitive, and misguided" comments he made shortly after signing his five-year, $90-million deal with the Boston Red Sox.

"I have always loved and appreciated the Giants organization, my Giants teammates, and the fans of San Francisco," Sandoval said. "I have so many great memories and I want to thank the organization for giving me another chance to come back here. When I left the Giants in 2014, my comments were emotional, insensitive, and misguided, and I truly regret and apologize for my actions. I am committed to working hard to contributing to the success of the Giants."

After joining the Red Sox, Sandoval aired his displeasure with the Giants' lack of interest in bringing him back as a free agent in a 2015 interview with Bleacher Report's Scott Miller.

Sandoval said his decision to leave the team was "not hard at all," and added, "If you want me around, you make the effort to push and get me back. ... It is not about money. It is about how you treat the player." He also said he'd only miss manager Bruce Bochy and outfielder Hunter Pence from his old team.

Sandoval's tumultuous tenure with the Red Sox only lasted 161 games from 2015-17, a time frame in which he hit .237/.286/.360 with 14 home runs while being worth minus-2 WAR.

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