Pablo Sandoval given warning letter by MLB for using cellphone, returns to Red Sox lineup

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Pablo Sandoval was back in the Boston Red Sox lineup Friday night after being benched Thursday for using his cellphone during a game.

Sandoval received a warning letter from Major League Baseball, but was not fined for his transgression. The third baseman acknowledged he used his cellphone during Wednesday’s game at Atlanta to click “like” on a woman’s photographs that appeared in his Instagram account.

Sandoval, who returned to Kansas City on Friday for the first time since catching a foul pop with San Francisco for the final out of the 2014 World Series, did not address the Instagram issue before the game after talking about it at length on Thursday.

“It was addressed internally,” Red Sox manager John Farrell said. “It was addressed by MLB. We put it behind us and focus on tonight.”

Farrell said Major League Baseball “communicated directly with Pablo” on the use of cellphones during games.

“They’ve issued a warning,” Farrell said. “He acknowledged the use of it, admitted to it. That’s the way they handled it.”

Farrell said he was not aware of any discipline for Sandoval from MLB.