The Guardians are bringing back Carlos Santana for the 2025 season, one a one-year deal worth $12MM. It marks Santana’s third run with Cleveland, and the 38-year-old will look to provide pop for a team that could use it next season. Especially, after trading away one of their best power bats from 2024.
A Look at Santana
This will be Carlos Santana‘s third go-around with the Guardians. Santana spent 2010-17 with Cleveland, then re-joined the team in December 2018 via trade. The now-38-year-old spent 2019-20 with the team, before stints with the Royals, Mariners, Pirates, Brewers, and Twins.
Santana got back on track in 2023 with a 23-home run campaign. He virtually replicated those results in 2024 with Minnesota. He hit 23 home runs and posted a slash line of .238/.328/.420 (.748 OPS).
The 38-year-old’s eye remains arguably his biggest asset. Santana walked 65 times (10.9% BB%) last season, eighth-most among first basemen (min. 50% GP). He rarely chases (23.4%) and makes good swing decisions, one of the reasons why Santana’s lasted in the league for so long.
But aside from his eye, Santana still has power. The returning Guardian posted his highest Pull% to date at 52.6% last season and had good bat speed (71.8 MPH, roughly league-average).
When Santana signed with Minnesota last season, we documented how well he hits against left-handed pitchers. Much like in the past, he was a force against southpaws. Santana hit .286/.356/.578 with 12 home runs over 163 PA against left-handed pitchers. Against righties. Santana hit 11 home runs over 431 PA.
Cleveland has a lot of left-handed bats (Manzardo, Steven Kwan, Bo Naylor, Will Brennan, Daniel Schneemann), so having a bat who can produce from the right side and balance out the lineup will obviously be critical.
Defensively, Santana has long been considered an elite defender at first base. Based off of Statcast’s Outs Above Average (OAA) range metric, Santana ranked second (+20) among first basemen. Only Christian Walker (+39) had a higher OAA.
Santana won his first Gold Glove in November.
Analysis
Immediately after the Josh Naylor trade, it felt like the first base position in Cleveland was Kyle Manzardo‘s spot to lose. Manzardo, as noted in our recap of the trade, had a strong September and has the tools to be an everday first baseman.
That’s not to say he won’t get playing time in Cleveland. However, Santana — a significantly better defender at first — will likely be the Guardians’ Opening Day starter at first base once more.
Santana won’t be an upgrade from Naylor offensively, as the new Diamondback has more pop at this stage of the game compared to the veteran. Where Santana has Naylor beat, however, is his fielding ability and on-base prowess. As noted, Santana can still work counts with ease. And, the Guardians won’t lose a lot offensively, given that the 38-year-old can still hit for power.
The Guardians will need SLG from Santana, as Cleveland only had two hitters with 20+ home runs last season. One of those names is now gone.
His presence also gives manager Stephen Vogt options, with regards to how he balances his day-to-day lineup. Ex-Guardian 2B Andres Gimenez regularly slotted in the two-hole against right-handed pitchers but was shifted down to the bottom-half of the lineup against lefties and later in the season, against all pitchers.
Given how well Santana hits and gets on base against lefties, it’s not hard to imagine the returning Guardian slot in the two-hole against LHP, in between leadoff hitter Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez.