Report: Cubs signing veteran Carlos Santana |
Dustin Riese
· · 6 hours ago
Ever since the MLB eliminated the 40-man September roster a few years ago, teams can still expand their rosters, but can only add two players, as rosters can no longer exceed 28 players. That makes things extremely dicey for contending teams, as this used to be the time when they would call up Minor League players to give them a taste of what could be to come in the future.
When it comes to contending teams like the Cubs, they can't afford to call up Minor Leaguers right now, as they are going to be in a similar position to Owen Caissie and may not play once they get here. That does nothing for the team or the player's development, which is why many contending teams look to the free agent market in hopes of finding a late-season veteran to help them during the stretch run. The Cubs could soon be faced with that same decision, and despite having Moises Ballesteros and Jonathon Long mashing in AAA, Ballesteros may be the only Minor League bat called up on September 1. That could all change if Miguel Amaya is healthy in time to make a late-season return, but according to reports, the Cubs are signing Carlos Santana as a possible late-season addition, which could impact what this team does post-September 1. The 39-year-old Santana has been around the game for a long time and, for the most part, has had a successful MLB career. This season saw Santana latch back on with the Guardians, and despite having some good moments early in the season, he has fallen out of regular playing time with the Guardians falling farther out of the playoff picture. That, combined with Santana's desire to play with a more competitive team down the stretch, led to the mutual parting of ways, as Santana was granted his release and is now available for other teams. Although nothing has been officially announced yet, numerous rumors are circulating that Santana and the Cubs are already in talks, and a deal could be forthcoming in the near future. Adding Santana to the Cubs roster may not seem like an ideal fit, especially when they already have an aging veteran in Justin Turner already on the roster, but Santana is a switch-hitter with loads of playoff experience and is someone who would give the Cubs late-season flexibility off the bench. A .241 hitter throughout his career, Santana has had several good seasons under his belt, which is why he has been able to last as long as he has in this league. His best season came in 2019, when he hit .281 with 34 home runs and 93 RBIs. Since then, Santana has been consistently hitting in the .230 or .240 range while offering all the production you look for in a veteran reserve player. This season has been especially challenging for the 39-year-old as Father Time is catching up to him real quick, leading to the question as to whether or not this could be his final season in the bigs. Across 116 games this season, Santana has combined to hit .225, but still has 11 homers and 52 RBIs. He has also walked 52 times compared to 86 strikeouts, which remains a part of his game. While his regular-season numbers may not always be appealing, his postseason numbers are even worse, as he is sitting at a combined .205 over 30 postseason games. However, the 2023 postseason saw Santana put together his best overall performance, which is why there is plenty of hope that adding him for the stretch run can yield some rewards. During the 2023 postseason, Santana managed to hit .286 across seven total at-bats. He was used primarily as a defensive replacement late in the game for the Brewers that season, but is still someone you can count on more often than not to put together quality at-bats when needed. As strange a pickup as this may be, it does make sense for the Cubs, as Santana is a veteran bat they can have come off the bench who has hit lefties better than righties over his career. As a switch hitter, that is crucial, as that is the role the Cubs would most likely use him at, as they need to get better against lefties. REPORT: The Cubs are signing veteran first baseman Carlos Santana, per @JonHeyman. pic.twitter.com/FEOztvP5Tu
