The Guardians made a splash over the weekend by signing first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year, $12 million contract, bringing the long-time Cleveland fixture back into the fold for the third time in his career. However, it was not Santana’s sole contract offer during his free agency.According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Mariners extended Santana an offer with more guaranteed money than he received in Cleveland. Rosenthal also mentioned that the Yankees, Mets, Tigers, Diamondbacks, Rangers, and Padres were all interested in the switch-hitter before he signed with Cleveland.
According to Rosenthal, Seattle’s offer included not only more guaranteed money, but also a player option for the 2026 season, allowing Santana to either opt out and return to free agency or stay with the team.It’s astonishing that a club would be ready to guarantee Santana a second year, given that he’ll turn 39 in early April. According to Rosenthal, the Mariners were Santana’s “initial priority” until the Guardians realized they could trade Josh Naylor to the Diamondbacks, another Santana candidate. At that point, the Guardians offered Santana (who had recently sold his Cleveland-area house) the one-year contract he eventually signed.
During the 2018-19 winter, the Mariners briefly acquired Santana from the Phillies, but he was quickly traded to Cleveland before he ever played for the club. He returned to the organization in 2022 after being traded by the Royals, and this time he stayed for 79 games. Santana hit.192,.293, and.400 in 294 plate appearances for Seattle. Despite his sub-Mendoza Line batting average, Santana’s effort resulted in an above-average 103 wRC+ due to a solid 11.9% walk rate and 15 home runs for the club down the stretch.
That half-season stint clearly impressed the Mariners, who expressed interest in a reunion as they sought first base help this winter. Earlier this winter, the Mariners allegedly wanted to reunite with either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner at first base.Turner is still available, but it’s unclear if Seattle’s interest has remained since the first base market has evolved in recent days. Of the six teams other than Cleveland that Rosenthal mentioned were interested in Santana’s services, three have found solutions in the days since: the Rangers replaced Nathaniel Lowe with Joc Pederson, the Yankees signed Paul Goldschmidt, and, of course, the Diamondbacks traded for Naylor, allowing Santana to re-sign in Cleveland.
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The Mariners, Mets, and Padres still have a handful of intriguing first base alternatives available. Turner has been a consistently above-average hitter for 11 consecutive seasons, but he turned 40 last month, which may cause some teams to reconsider committing to him as a regular option if they are unable to provide considerable time at DH as well.Pete Alonso is, of course, the top free agent available at first base, but barring a dramatic change in plans by the Padres or Mariners, he is unlikely to suit the budgets said to be in play in San Diego and Seattle. Anthony Rizzo, Mark Canha, Josh Bell, and Yuli Gurriel are among a number of veteran options at the position who could likely be had on a low-cost deal, and the trade market suggests that the Giants could part ways with LaMonte Wade Jr. or even a deal with the Rays involving Yandy Diaz, who hasn’t been the subject of many trade rumors this winter but appeared to be available prior to this summer’s trade deadline.
