The Mariners, as one would expect with GM Jerry Dipoto at the helm, continue to be active in trade discussions and are receiving the most interest in outfielder Domingo Santana and lefty Roenis Elias, per Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (subscription required). Interest in Santana is strong enough that Seattle “will at least consider trading him,” Rosenthal writes.
Santana, 27 in early August, is in his first season with the Mariners after coming over from the Brewers in an offseason swap that sent Ben Gamel to Milwaukee. The slugger has been every bit as productive as Seattle could have reasonably hoped upon acquiring him, hitting at a .280/.346/.489 pace with 19 home runs, 19 doubles, a triple and six steals. Santana, though, has also fanned at a 29.5 percent clip and racked up more total strikeouts (122) than any player in Major League Baseball.
More concerning than Santana’s strikeouts, however, is his glovework in the outfield. Santana’s -14.4 Ultimate Zone Rating and -12 Outs Above Average are the worst marks of any outfielder in baseball. Only Colorado’s Ian Desmond (-16) has fared worse than Santana (-13) in the estimation of Defensive Runs Saved. It’s not fully clear what has prompted the downturn in Santana’s defensive ratings. A year ago in Milwaukee, he drew above-average marks from all three of those metrics. And while those positive ratings look to be an outlier relative to the rest of his career, Santana has also never struggled anywhere close to this extent in seasons past.
Surely, some teams — particularly those in the NL — will be wary of Santana’s defense. But a club that could give Santana some time at designated hitter (or, speculatively, first base) and/or one that believes it has a solution to this season’s pronounced decline could hardly help but be intrigued by his bat. Santana has been an above-average hitter in every season he’s received regular playing time, and he’s controlled through the 2021 season at an affordable rate. This year’s home run and RBI totals will undoubtedly boost his salary in arbitration, but he’s earning just $1.95MM in 2019, so his forthcoming raise won’t make his salary burdensome. Santana has been good against right-handed pitching (.277/.338/.449) while obliterating lefties (.287/.374/.621), so he’d be of particular interest to a team that has been overmatched by opposing southpaws (e.g. Indians, Rockies).
As for Elias, MLBTR explored the left-hander’s likely trade candidacy at greater length last week, noting that while he’s not an elite reliever, he’s a solid arm whose modest $910K salary and remaining club control (also through 2021) should generate plenty of interest. Elias can miss bats, throws rather hard for a lefty and gets good spin on both his heater and curveball, all of which makes him an appealing asset. With so many teams around the league eyeing bullpen help and Dipoto never afraid to move a piece as he rebuilds the Seattle roster and farm system, it’d be more surprising to see the Mariners retain Elias than it would be to see him traded.
Domingo Santana would be a good fit for the Cubs, especially since they’re considering another corner OF with power
His defense would also give Schwarber a confidence boost in the field.
The Cubs need to let Swartz go. Fowler back to the Cubs this season may just be the jump start the Cubs need. The Cardinals are soon to be on the outside looking in because of the lack of attempts to obtain anything but low hanging fruit players that no one else wants. Plus, Astrogate looms over the Cardinals John Mozeliak. Fowler would love to be back with the Cubs. The Cubs need him this year. I’m quite sure the Cardinals would eat his salary, even just to get a minimal prospect. Fowler has had a pretty good season. Back on his World Series stomping grounds, the Cubs could possibly see another World Series ring sooner than later.
Cardinals aren’t going to eat Fowler’s contract and send him to the division rival.
You really think the Cardinals are going to trade Fowler back to the Cubs for a minimal prospect while also eaiting a chunk of the contract? Also, how is Mozeliak still impacted by the Astros’ scandal? Those penalties are in the past.
Elias would be a good fit for the Cubs too
I hope the Cubs are one of the teams that are checking in on both of them
The Cubs wouldn’t even have to send top prospects and DiPoto would send buckets of cash. DiPoto is just interested in young controllable kids. He’s not so worried about getting talent in return. Good fit for the Cubs.
That was the dumbest thing I’ve read so far today. Well done.
“Dipoto would send buckets of cash”?! Seriously?!
Santana is owed only $900k for the remainder of 2019, and Elias is only owed approx $400k.
Santana is on pace for 35 HRs this year and maintaining a 285 BA from both sides of the plate. Try getting this type or production for only $900k via trade or FA…ain’t gonna happen without giving up some pretty decent prospects.
I think the $$$ screams for a TB trade. TB wanted EE but couldn’t afford even half of EE salary. TB also needs a lefty BP guy from what I’ve read. And TB is loaded with plenty/surplus of amazing prospects in their Farm. TB can offer way more better prospects than the Cubs.
PLUS, whoever gets both these guys are getting 2.5 years of club control too, at reasonable arb prices next year!
Let the bidding begin! lol
Little tiny buckets……
…….Agreed,Planet Stupider!
cubs are cash strapped,,,
That’s what I’ve been thinking lately on where Elias would make a good fit and the Cubs always come to mind.
Indians would certainly benefit from Santana… can’t imagine given his salary and cost that he isn’t on their shopping list.
I’d imagine his defensive struggles stem more from moving from Milwaukee (semi bandbox) to Seattle (cavernous). Just seems like he has more ground to cover. Of course I could be wrong. At any rate he’s never been this bad defensively so it may simply be an aberration.
When I see situations like this I think about Bryce Harper last year compared to this year. He was having issues with his knee last year and posted a -16.7 UZR150/-26 DRS. This year he’s healthy and has posted a +13.7 UZR150 and +2 DRS. Maybe there’s an injury that we don’t know about? Either way he still has additional years of control and is an above average offensive player so he would still be worth the investment.
Santana’s poor defense is a direct result of being shifted from his usual RF position over to LF- initially he was having trouble reading the ball off the bat and struggled with catches where he had to bring his glove (past his face) to his right. He looks like a completely new defender now that we’ve switched him back to RF. If you could look at his def ratings since his move to RF you’d see a vast improvement.
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10348&posi…
No, he’s been equally as poor per DRS and UZR in RF. And this isn’t the first time he’s graded out that badly. The outlier was last season when he was a part time player and posted positive defensive marks. He’s a below average outfielder.
T-Mobile Park is not only not cavernous, it is *smaller* than Miller Park. Respective dimensions (MP/ TMB):
LF line: 344/ 331
LCF: 371/ 378
CF: 400/ 401
RCF: 374/ 381
RF line: 345/ 326
Conceptually, the greater distances down the lines in MP will — barring funky dimensions that TMP doesn’t have — increase a COF must cover in MP vs. the bigger-but-not-as-much-bigger gaps in TMP
Dimensions for both stadiums:
tickpick.com/miller-park-seating-chart/
tickpick.com/t-mobile-park-seating-chart/
Improving from -24 UZR/150 to -17 over <500 innings is far from "vast". It's marginal — caveats of small sample size aside (as it is true for both and both numbers aren't far off his career norms… in spite of what PR the color announcers relay).
Santana needs to go to another AL team where he can spend the majority of the time at DH. The same is true with Melky Cabrera. Not sure who Cleveland has been using as their DH, but I think that would be a good fit for either player.
I agree, I think Santana and Elias for a package centered around Hankins and Jones makes sense for both teams.
No way the Indians ever do that trade. Elias isn’t a need for the Indians and while Santana would be a great addition to their offense Jones is a top 100 prospect that should be ready next year and wouldn’t be moved unless it was for a much bigger addition.
Jones is probably going to shift over to 1B in the upper-minors. He hasn’t been consistent enough at the hot corner. He’s also a LHH and Seattle probably needs to focus on RHH’s.
Easy to see Santana fitting in with Cleveland, but it’s hard to know what the return might be. I would guess an arm.
Actually, I agree with that assessment. But I still stick with any deal made with the Tribe needs to include Hankins.
This has a Rays package deal written all over it
Who will walk with Elias?
Maybe the twins will serenade him with a guitar solo.
Santana, for whatever reason, was not able to make a shift to left field. Most of the knocks on his defense stem from his time in left at the start of the season. Since the switch into right field his defense has become almost passable.
You guys know all of this could be fact checked by going to Fangraphs? He’s rated just as poorly in RF.
Not really. Defensive stats are extremely misleading with small sample sizes. This is definitely a situation where scouting is superior to stats.
Cubs don’t need a horrible defender
dodgers should check in on elias…. perfect for them.
It’s perfectly clear that Santana’s poor defensive showing is primarily in left field. Though he isn’t a great right fielder, he’s clearly more comfortable there and the statistics reflect as much.
He has looked much better in RF
Did you close your eyes and not look at them?
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=10348&posi…
-6 DRS in 311 innings in RF.
-7 DRS in 500 innings in LF
This is just factually not true. Even if you wanted to go by fielding percentage he rates as a pretty garbage defender at both. Though if you went by fielding % he would be astronomically bad in left field.
Dang you right. Sorry for upsetting you
Gotta look at more than DRS and consider the fact that he has a passable history in RF and the bat is far more important.
If you haven’t watched him in RF this year, and I suspect you haven’t, you should do so. Most fans agree that he’s perfectly passable.
jbigz
Even the people at Fangraphs admit that defensive stats are unreliable and EXTREMELY unreliable in short sample sizes.
Now… do you think they would consider 36 games a stable sample size or a small sample size? Let us know.
I’m well aware of the sample size bias. They also say in that article it’s preferable to the eye test if I remember correctly. Don’t get so worked up though, Gav. Santana has a long career of being a below average defensive outfielder. Not bad to this level, but it’s mostly been bad.
If he’s truly that abysmal it’ll hurt his value. If he’s more of what he was in Milwaukee then it’s only bad. I don’t think you can jump the gun and say that everything is all peachy either. Especially when everything paints the picture of him being bad out there this year.
Rays make some sense. Santana playing some Lf and Dh he would get plenty of at bats.
M’s tried to shift Santana to LF- he was horrible. He’s by no means an elite defender in RF but he’s far more comfortable there, the difference is night and day. It would be a huge mistake putting him back in LF
Poor defense and tons of strikeouts. Perfect to replace Bruce for the Phillies.
DiPoto making a deal? I’m SHOCKED!
I’d agree the Rays make a lot of sense here. Another angle is that they’ll be stuck paying Pham somewhere in the 8-10M range next year, which they probably (understandably) find distasteful. With no RH power anywhere in the system. Santana fits for 2019 and 2020. And he’ll be closer to the 4-6M range.
I would think Santana and Elias for a couple of guys in the #11-#20 range of the Rays system (remembering that their #11-#20 guys are top 10 in most) would work for both teams. Maybe add in a lottery ticket type.
I agree Santana probably won’t net a top 100 prospect since there are a couple alternatives to him on the market (Pence, Puig. But getting a couple fringe guys in the rays system would be nice
Nico Hoerner OR Adbert Alzolay as the return!
Santana and Elias are both cheap and having solid seasons. Not to mention, both are relatively young.
Santana is easily the best value outfielder on the market in terms of performance and cost.
For both to the Cubs. Not just one.
His defense is likely suffering because he was s shifting back and forth between LF and RF. Never did that before.
Kikuchi to the Yankees for Garcia, Frazier and Andujar. Brilliant for both sides! I should be a GM.
Lol I wish.
Arguably the worst offseason trade… Brewers gave away Domingo and their lineup could now use his services mightily. Pirates are a good fit. Or the Rays. Any team starved for power. Elias gets moved. In the Diekman quality, every contender needs another left handed relief option.
Are you joking? Santana was a walking error in right and a strike out machine. Brewers got the utility outfielder they needed. Santana was never going to start over Braun or Yelich and Gamel provides much more value.
Rockies OF, Desmond, Blackmon, Dahl and Tapia are 4 of the worst 8 defensive outfielders per DRS. There are like 60 qualified outfielders and they are near the bottom.
Just thought it was interesting.
Santana is having a productive season similar to 2017. The only things that concern me about him are his high strikeouts and his horrible defense. I think the Ms should wait til the off-season to possibly find a taker for him. Tampa Bay makes sense or even Houston. I think Santana can be a 30+ hr 100+ rbi guy if only he works on his plate discipline and he’s still young enough to stay as a building block for the Ms.