The Guardians have reunited with a longtime veteran of the group, as Jeff Passan of ESPN reviews that the membership is in settlement with first baseman Carlos Santana on a one-year, $12MM deal. The deal comes on the heels of the membership reportedly agreeing to a commerce that despatched first baseman Josh Naylor to Arizona earlier this night.
Santana, 39 in April, is a veteran of 15 MLB seasons who made his massive league debut with Cleveland again in 2010. A catcher early in his profession, Santana ultimately moved to first base and has been outlined all through his profession by phenomenal plate self-discipline. His stroll fee has by no means fallen under 10.5% in a season throughout his prolonged massive league profession, and his strikeout fee surpassed 20% simply as soon as again in 2011. The one-time All-Star has spent ten seasons in Cleveland and can now swimsuit up for an eleventh in yr 16 of his massive league profession.
A profession .251/.368/.450 (121 wRC+) hitter with the membership, Santana has seen his bat decline considerably since he final suited up for Cleveland again in 2020. He’s performed for 5 groups over the previous 4 seasons, together with the Guardians’ division rivals in Kansas Metropolis and Minnesota. Santana has been extra of a league common hitter in these stints away from Cleveland, hitting a collective .224/.320/.392 (99 wRC+) since he final performed for the membership. With that mentioned, 2024 was a little bit of a rebound season for Santana as he slashed a strong .238/.328/.420 (114 wRC+) in 150 video games for the Twins whereas enjoying robust sufficient protection at first to earn his first profession Gold Glove award. What’s extra, even in his down years Santana has continued to hit nicely towards left-handed pitching with a 125 wRC+ towards southpaws throughout the final 4 seasons.
It’s arduous to think about the Guardians committing $12MM to a longtime face of the franchise coming off a three-win season simply to make him a platoon participant, and Santana absolutely figures to be the membership’s common first baseman in 2025. That leaves well-regarded teen Kyle Manzardo, a top-100 prospect previous to the 2024 season who posted a 98 wRC+ in his first style of huge league motion this yr, possible relegated to part-time function with appearances at DH whereas often spelling Santana at first base. With that mentioned, Manzardo’s presence affords the Guardians some insurance coverage towards Santana’s age catching as much as him as nicely; pairing the lefty-swinging teen with Santana’s switch-hitting bat that has lengthy crushed lefties figures to be a strong strategy to get worth out of the primary base place even when Manzardo doesn’t take a step ahead and Santana finds himself unable to duplicate his wonderful 2024 marketing campaign.
Notably, Santana’s $12MM wage for 2025 is equivalent to the $12MM projection put ahead by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for Naylor’s last yr of arbitration eligibility. That makes Santana and Naylor a one-for-one swap from each a monetary and group management perspective. Naylor (118 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR) was the marginally higher hitter however barely much less productive general in 2024, although the 11-year age hole between the 2 means he additionally tasks higher than Santana going ahead. Even so, the addition of Santana allowed the Guardians to commerce Naylor for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a decide in Aggressive Steadiness Spherical B of the 2025 draft with out shedding a lot if something by way of on-the-field manufacturing for 2025.
That sleight of hand by the Guardians had the facet impact of taking two extra names off of a crowded first base market that has quickly begun to skinny out in latest days. Naylor and Santana are joined in having discovered their 2025 properties lately by Paul Goldschmidt, who signed with the Yankees on a one-year deal earlier right now, and yesterday noticed Christian Walker land a three-year deal with the Astros. Pete Alonso is the highest free agent out there at first base and stays in the marketplace, with gamers like Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell, Justin Turner, and Mark Canha nonetheless out there within the decrease tiers of the market. The commerce market has fewer choices who’re clearly out there, however Nathaniel Lowe of the Rangers, Yandy Diaz of the Rays, and LaMonte Wade Jr. of the Giants are all a minimum of believable candidates to vary arms.
