The Boston Red Sox improved to 40-48 on Sunday night with a 7-5 win over the Los Angeles Angels, capping a three-game sweep in Anaheim. The team is off Monday night before opening up a three-game set on the South Side of Chicago against the AL Central-leading White Sox on Tuesday night. But the front office used its off day to announce a series of roster moves, including the activation of a veteran pitcher set to make his return to a big league mound for the first time since 2024. 

The Red Sox announced on Monday night that they have activated left-handed starter Patrick Sandoval from the 60-day injured list, optioning left-handed reliever Alec Gamboa to Triple-A Worcester to clear a spot on the 26-man roster for the 29-year-old. Right-handed pitcher Jack Anderson was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Sandoval's activation. 

The 29-year-old left-hander spent the first six years of his major league career with the Angels, posting a 4.01 ERA over 536 innings. His best season came in 2022, when the then 25-year-old allowed 48 earned runs on 139 hits across 148.2 innings, good for a 2.91 ERA. His time in Los Angeles was cut short when he went down with a left elbow injury in 2024 which required Tommy John surgery. Sandoval struggled mightily in that 2024 campaign, posting a 5.08 ERA in 79.2 innings. He was just 2-8.

Ahead of the 2025 season, he signed a two-year, $18.5 million deal with the Red Sox, assuming he would miss most of the year while working his way back from surgery. He did not appear in a major league game for Boston in 2025. 

It was a long road back to the majors for Sandoval in 2026, as he was sent back from his first rehab assignment after experiencing left biceps tightness, which forced him to stop throwing.  After the bicep injury cleared, Sandoval was sent back out on assignment, making six appearances across Double-A and Triple-A, allowing four earned runs on 10 hits over 18.1 innings, for a 1.96 ERA, while striking out 18 and walking six. 

The Red Sox have not yet announced when Sandoval will make his long-awaited return to a major league mound, though he figures to take the place of the injured Connelly Early in the Red Sox rotation. 

It's another short stint in the big leagues for the 29-year-old left-hander, who has made just two appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Worcester on July 6, when Boston designated veteran reliever Tommy Kahnle for assignment. 

Gamboa allowed two earned runs on three hits, walked four, and struck out only one over 3.1 innings in his third stint in the majors. He'll return to Worcester, where he has posted a 3.21 ERA over 42 innings. 

The 32-year-old Anderson will hit the waiver wire after being designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster for Sandoval. The veteran righty made his major league debut with Boston in April, appearing in three games and allowing three earned runs on eight hits over eight innings of relief. 

In 58 innings for Worcester, Anderson posted a 4.81 ERA across 16 appearances, both as a starter and reliever. 

The Red Sox will look to continue the momentum built in Los Angeles into Tuesday night's series opener against the White Sox. Payton Tolle (4-6, 3.39 ERA) will get the start for Boston opposite fellow rookie southpaw Noah Schultz (2-5, 5.86 ERA) for Chicago. First pitch from Rate Field set for 7:40 p.m. ET.

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