The Cleveland Guardians placed first baseman Carlos Santana on waivers Tuesday, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Santana was on his third tour with the team and had hit 11 home runs this season, accumulating a 1.3 bWAR.
After the devastating news about pitchers Luis Ortiz and Emmanuel Clase, the Guardians surged back into the heat of a playoff race. But, after going 2-8 in their last 10 games, they have collapsed to five games back in the American League wild card race. It seems that the embers of their playoff hopes have been snuffed out.
Santana was not designated for assignment, so he is still eligible to play for the Guardians until the waiver period is over, but will need to be assigned to a minor league affiliate or removed from the 40-man roster if he is not claimed.
Santana has remained elite with his defense, but has lost some of his offensive firepower. He is on pace for his lowest home run total since the COVID-shortened 2020.
The Cleveland franchise legend has spent the majority of his career in Northeast Ohio on the shore of Lake Erie, but has spent recent years as a journeyman for teams in search of first base help.
Santana could find a home on a contender as a bench bat for the final month of the season and into the playoffs, but the team that claims him will be on the hook for the remaining $2.13 million on his contract. If the Santana goes unclaimed, the Guardians could release him in hopes that he can catch on elsewhere ahead of Monday.
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