The Minnesota Twins added a veteran bat to their ranks on Friday, agreeing to a one-year, $5.25 million deal with Carlos Santana.
A person close to the agreement confirmed it in statements to The Associated Press, on condition of anonymity because the signing depends on passing a medical exam.
Santana, who turns 38 in April, played last season with Pittsburgh and Milwaukee. He batted .240 with 23 homers and 86 RBIs in 146 games. The first baseman and designated hitter was traded to the Brewers on July 27.
The addition of Santana would help cover some of the offensive production that Minnesota lost on Monday, when it traded Dominican second baseman Jorge Polanco to Seattle. The switch-hitting Polanco hit .255 with 14 homers and 48 RBIs in 80 games last season.
The Twins are looking to return to the playoffs for the fifth time in eight years. They won the American League Central Division in 2023 and swept Toronto in the wild card round, before being eliminated by Houston in the American League division series.
Minnesota also has Alex Kirilloff and José Miranda at first base, but both have been inconsistent and injury-prone.
The transaction puts Santana back in the AL Central Division. He debuted with Cleveland in 2010 and spent 11 years there.
Santana was elected to the All-Star Game in 2019, with a .281 average, 34 home runs and 93 RBIs in 158 games. He also had 34 homers with Cleveland in 2016.
For life, he bats .242 with 301 home runs and 1,011 RBIs in 1,930 games. He has also played with Kansas City, Philadelphia and Seattle.
Source: AP
2024-02-03 20:12:39
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