Why Carlos Santana turned down more money to return ‘home’ to Cleveland
Updated: Mar. 11, 2025, 6:38 p.m.|Published: Mar. 11, 2025, 5:59 p.m.
By Paul Hoynes, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio — For the longest time this offseason Chris Antonetti felt that Josh Naylor would be the Guardians first baseman on opening day.
It didn’t matter that Naylor would be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season. It’s still unclear if there was any attempt to sign Naylor to a multiyear deal, but if there was those talks had turned cold a while ago.
Antonetti, president of baseball operations, and the front office just couldn’t find the right match for a trade. But two days before Christmas, with the market for first basemen starting to move, the Guardians traded Naylor to Arizona for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a Competitive Round B draft pick.
An instant after that trade took place, the Guardians reached a one-year agreement with the second most productive switch-hitter in franchise history — free agent first baseman Carlos Santana. The soon to be 39-year-old Santana was coming home for the third time in his career.
“Cleveland is home to me,” said Santana. “Everyone knows I’ve played a long time here. I know everybody here. I know Chris Antonetti and the front office.
“They gave me the opportunity to start my big league career here. They wanted me back and I’m back.”
The Guardians weren’t the only ones pursuing Santana. The Mariners, both New York teams, Detroit, Arizona, Texas and San Diego showed interest. The Mariners, according to the Athletic, offered Santana a two-year deal with a club option for a third year for more money than Cleveland’s offer.
“There were plenty of other offers,” said Santana. “But Cleveland is my home. My family and I made the decision to come here.”
There’s nothing better than a good homecoming story. Santana made his big league debut with the Indians in 2010 after being acquired from the Dodgers in a 2008 trade for Casey Blake.
Santana left for the first time after the 2017 season to sign a three-year free agent deal with the Phillies. He returned in 2019 as part of a three-team deal with the Rays and Mariners.
This time he stayed through 2020 before signing with Kansas City as a free agent.
Now Santana, who turns 39 on April 8 (Cleveland’s home opener), is being counted on to help an offense that must replace the 31 homers and 108 RBI Naylor provided last year. If he’s worried about doing that, he hides it well.
“No, I don’t feel pressure,” said Santana. “Why? Nothing has changed. I don’t have pressure. It’s the same game. I just try to help my team to make it to the playoffs and the World Series.”
Jose Ramirez and Santana are the most productive switch-hitters in Cleveland history. Ramirez has 255 homers and Santana is next with 216. Regarding RBI by switch-hitters, Ramirez and Santana rank first and second as well with 864 RBI and 710, respectively.
Outside the realm of switch-hitting, Santana ranks second with 881 walks, sixth in homers and eighth in extra base hits with 503 in franchise history. When you play 1,334 games with one team, that’s what can happen.
While Ramirez is the Guardians' focal point on offense, Santana shouldn’t be far behind. Last year with the Twins, he hit .236 (124 for 521) with 26 doubles, 23 homers, 71 RBI and a .749 OPS (onbase percentage + slugging percentage). He is tied for fifth among active big leaguers with nine seasons of 20 or more homers.
This spring manager Stephen Vogt has been testing Ramirez in the No.2 spot in the lineup — he traditionally hits third — with Santana or Lane Thomas batting third. Without Naylor, he’s trying to find more protection for Ramirez.
“Steven Kwan (leadoff) and Jose (second or third) are pretty dialed into their spots,” said Vogt. “It’s among Carlos, Lane and some others as to how can we best protect everyone and put them in a position to get on base, drive in runs, steal bases ... all those things.”
Vogt builds his lineups to swing hard and fast. He wants to beat the opposing starting pitcher. Santana should have no problem with that strategy. He’s spent his career hitting in the middle of the lineup.
In Santana’s big league debut on June 11, 2010, then manager Manny Acta inserted him in the No. 3 spot. Santana, a catcher at that time, stayed there until his season ended in a collision at the plate in Fenway Park on Aug. 2. Santana needed surgery on his left knee.
Santana has played catcher, third base and the outfield during his career. But it wasn’t until he became a fulltime first baseman in 2015 that he found his position. Last year the 38-year-old Santana became the oldest position player in history to win a Gold Glove.
“I’ve been fighting for that,” said Santana. “I’d finished in the top three, but never won it. Last year I focused on that and I won it.”
The Gold Glove almost didn’t happen. After the 2023 season, Santana drew little interest as a free agent after playing for Milwaukee and Pittsburgh. He thought his career was over.
“Last year was tough,” he said. “I felt I was almost done. But people around me kept me positive. They said look at you, you look great. You have passion for baseball. Why would you retire?
“When you make that decision, and your body says no more, you’re done. Right now, I feel great.”
The Twins threw Santana a lifeline when they signed him on Feb. 2, 2024.
Santana is determined to play for as long as he can. He hired a chef and a trainer. He no longer drinks alcohol.
What he doesn’t have is a house in Cleveland. The day before he came to terms with the Guardians, he sold his home in Bratenahl.
Here’s betting Santana’s homecoming won’t be homeless for long.
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