Carlos Santana cleared waivers after his release from Cleveland just days ago, and now he’s drawing interest from playoff contenders who need help at first base.
Sure, the veteran struggled this season with the Guardians. But we’re talking about a 16-year veteran with 335 career home runs, over 39 WAR, plus a Silver Slugger and Gold Glove on his resume. That’s the kind of postseason experience and clubhouse presence that contending teams covet right now.
The New York Mets make a lot of sense as a landing spot. Santana’s defense alone would be a massive upgrade – his seven Outs Above Average at first base ranks in the 95th percentile according to Baseball Savant. Compare that to Pete Alonso’s negative six OAA, which puts him in the eighth percentile.
That’s a 13 OAA differential we’re talking about.
What makes this even more appealing for the Mets is their lack of depth. Alonso’s literally their only true first baseman on the major league roster right now.
The Philadelphia Phillies have the same problem – just one natural first baseman. Bryce Harper’s been solid defensively since moving to first, but Santana’s still in another league. Santana’s Fielding Run Value of five puts him in the 86th percentile, while Harper sits at zero (53rd percentile).
There’s history here too. Santana had a productive season in Philly back in 2018, hitting 24 homers with 86 RBIs.
Then there’s the Seattle Mariners, another former Santana team that could use the help. They picked up Josh Naylor at the deadline, but their defensive metrics tell the story – they’re sitting 20th in Defensive Runs Saved.
Here’s where it gets interesting: their backup first baseman Donovan Solano has posted 0.0 WAR in 69 games, his worst season since 2016. If Seattle cuts Solano and brings in Santana, they could slide Naylor over to DH and immediately improve their infield defense.
The way I see it, Santana’s probably going to land somewhere soon. Teams this close to October don’t usually pass up proven veterans who can shore up defensive weaknesses, especially when he’s available for the minimum.
