FORT MYERS, Fla. – It had been 602 days since Patrick Sandoval faced hitters.

The left-hander ended that streak of frustration Friday when he took the mound at JetBlue Park and threw his first live batting practice since Tommy John surgery.

“It’s been forever,” he said.

The Red Sox signed the southpaw, now 29, to a backloaded two-year, $18.25 million contract fourteen months ago with the expectation that he would miss at least a significant portion of the first year. Sandoval thought he’d be able to contribute in the second half of ‘25, and got “pretty close” to being ready to face live hitters before arm fatigue shut him down.

“I think it was the right move,” Sandoval said, though he admitted, “This rehab process has humbled me a lot.”

He began ramping up again in November and reported to the Red Sox spring training complex a month ago. By then he had already thrown several bullpens.

The pitching staff is different this preseason, deeper and more experienced than last year. Lefties Garrett Crochet and Ranger Suarez and righties Sonny Gray and Brayan Bello are expected to fill four-fifths of the starting rotation. Sandoval is competing with several pitchers for the final spot, and he’s fully aware that he could end up in the bullpen instead.

I wouldn’t say I have any set role here, and I’m happy to compete for a job, that’s what we’re here for,” Sandoval said. “Especially with the guys we brought in and the room we have. It’s the best staff in the league, and I’m honored to be part of it and honored to compete for a spot.”

“I’m a Red Sox, so I’ll do whatever they want me to do,” he continued, though he added that relief work “would definitely be an adjustment.”

For now Sandoval is relishing Friday’s milestone and curious about how he will feel the next day.

“All offseason I had to answer questions from friends and family, ‘Are you going to be healthy? Are you going to be back?’” Sandoval said. “I don’t know. I won’t know until I face a batter, and then I won’t know ‘til the next day. … I’d be so happy to wake up sore, honestly. It would be nice to feel that again.”

Sandoval was grateful, too, to the teammates who came to watch him take this step forward.

“I honestly didn’t expect that many guys to be there to watch that,” Sandoval said, “and the reception I got afterwards, it was cool. It was really cool.”

It’s something of an annual spring training tradition for Alex Cora to point out an under-the-radar player or two who’s impressing or intriguing him. Asked to do so Friday, the Red Sox manager began to say it was too early in camp. The first full-squad workout isn’t until Monday, after all.

But then he changed his mind.

“What Sandoval did today, that’s impressive. That’s good to see,” Cora said. “For him to be in that spot, that caught my attention.”