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Carlos Santana

Cubs Designate Ben Cowles For Assignment

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The Cubs announced that infielder Ben Cowles has been designated for assignment. That opens a 40-man spot for the signing of first baseman Carlos Santana, a move that was previously reported. Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM was among those to relay the news.

Cowles, 25, was acquired from the Yankees in last summer’s deadline deal which sent Mark Leiter Jr. to the Bronx. The Cubs then added him to their 40-man roster in November, to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft.

Unfortunately, he’s not having a great year in Triple-A. His 7.1% walk rate and 28.6% strikeout rate are both subpar figures. His .238/.304/.382 batting line translates to a wRC+ of 74, despite a strong .325 batting average on balls in play. He does have 16 stolen bases but has also been caught six times.

That performance has nudged him off the 40-man roster. With the trade deadline having passed, he’ll have to be placed on waivers in the coming days. It’s possible a club is interested based on his past performance. From 2021 to 2024, he slashed .268/.365/.426 across various minor league levels for a 124 wRC+. He regularly posts double-digit steal totals and can bounce around between shortstop, second base and third base.

Though his 2025 season isn’t going well, the overall track record is better and he has a full slate of options. Perhaps that will inspire some club with an open roster spot to put in a claim and stash him in the minors as a depth piece.

Photo courtesy of Cody Scanlan, Imagn Images

Cubs To Sign Carlos Santana

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Veteran first baseman Carlos Santana is signing with the Cubs, according to a report from Jon Heyman of the New York Post. The terms of the deal are not currently known. Chicago’s 40-man roster is full, and the Cubs will need to make a corresponding move in order to add Santana to the roster.

The 39-year-old veteran was released by the Guardians last week in what president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti described to reporters (including MLB.com’s Tim Stebbins) as a “joint decision” to allow Santana to pursue a shot at the postseason with another club while affording more playing time to younger first base options in Cleveland like Kyle Manzardo and rookie C.J. Kayfus. That opportunity to play in the postseason will now come via Chicago, where the Cubs currently occupy the first of three NL Wild Card spots with a 78-58 record and have a 99.9% chance of making the postseason according to Fangraphs.

Santana is something of a curious fit for a Cubs team that already has both Michael Busch and Justin Turner on the roster as players limited to first base and DH. The veteran switch-hitter has struggled at the plate in 116 games this year, with a slash line of just .225/.316/.333 (86 wRC+) across 455 plate appearances. While he’s still taking walks at a strong 11.3% clip, Santana’s power has mostly disappeared and his 18.9% strikeout rate this year is the highest it’s been since his first full season as a big league player all the way back in 2011.

One potential use case for Santana on the roster would be to replace Turner, who has posted a lackluster wRC+ of just 70 with Chicago this year. With that being said, Turner’s primary role (and, likely, Santana’s primary role in replacing him) would be serving as a platoon partner for Busch, mostly playing against left-handed pitching. In that specific role, Turner is actually arguably a better fit than Santana given that he has an above-average 109 wRC+ against lefties this year as compared to Santana’s pedestrian 93 wRC+ against southpaws this season.

On the other hand, the switch-hitting Santana fares much better against right-handed pitching than Turner, and is also regarded as a much stronger defender. Santana is also just one season removed from a brilliant year in Minnesota where he posted a 113 wRC+ overall with a 161 wRC+ against left-handed pitching and won the AL’s Gold Glove award at first base. If the Cubs think they can help Santana get back into the form he showed with the Twins last year, it’s easy to see why they’d want to bring him into the fold.

Santana’s addition to the roster doesn’t necessarily have to come at the expense of Turner’s roster spot, of course. While carrying three players limited to first base defensively is unusual, rosters are set to expand to 28 players tomorrow. During Miguel Amaya’s brief return from the injured list earlier this month, the Cubs were comfortable utilizing both Amaya and Reese McGuire as backups to Carson Kelly behind the plate, which with Turner in the fold at first base left only one spot for a utility player. Perhaps that willingness to use defensively-limited players on the bench is thanks to the extreme versatility of utility man Willi Castro, who is capable of backing up every position on the diamond aside from first base and catcher.

The aforementioned roster expansion set to occur tomorrow often allows teams to get more creative with in-game substitutions, as well, and that’s another way Santana could offer value to Chicago. Turner has been atrocious against right-handed pitching this year with a wRC+ of 18, so while he’s been an excellent choice to spell Busch in a high-leverage at-bat against a southpaw this year, his subsequent at-bats against righties and poor glove at first base have been a hindrance to the Cubs following that pinch-hit appearance. With Santana on the roster, Turner could still pinch-hit for Busch before ceding the first base job to Santana, who has been closer to split neutral this year and carries a strong glove.

It’s also worth noting that the Cubs’ current options at first base and DH have been struggling somewhat in the second half. While Busch (136 wRC+) and Seiya Suzuki (122 wRC+) are putting together strong seasons overall, their .209/.270/.403 (87 wRC+) and .202/.340/.279 (86 wRC+) lines since the All-Star break leave much to be desired. Chicago will surely need its middle of the order to straighten things out ahead of the playoffs, and perhaps adding a steady veteran like Santana could afford those players occasional days off down the stretch to allow them that opportunity.

On the other hand, it’s worth noting that the club could’ve also offered a young player the opportunity to spell those veterans given their large crop of position player prospects on the cusp of the minors. Owen Caissie is already on the roster, while Moises Ballesteros and Kevin Alcantara have both already made their MLB debuts previously. None of those players play first base like Santana does, but Jonathon Long has turned heads this year with a .308/.405/.498 slash line in 123 Triple-A games this year and could easily be called upon to spell Busch and Turner at first base if the club so desired. Perhaps the Cubs feel the intense environment of a playoff race in September isn’t the best way to introduce these young players to the majors, however, and even a struggling veteran like Santana is a safer bet to round out the roster.

Guardians Release Carlos Santana

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The Guardians have released first baseman Carlos Santana, per a team announcement. He’d been placed on outright waivers earlier in the week and clearly went unclaimed. Infielder Daniel Schneemann has been reinstated from the paternity list and will take Santana’s spot on the active roster. Santana is now a free agent and can sign with any team for the prorated league minimum for the remainder of the season. So long as he signs prior to Sept. 1, he would be postseason-eligible with a new team.

Santana’s third stint in Cleveland will conclude with a lackluster .225/.316/.333 batting line and 11 home runs in 455 plate appearances. The 39-year-old remains an elite defender at first base, but his bat has wilted from both sides of the plate. The veteran switch-hitter is slashing just .220/.311/.325 against right-handed pitching and .235/.328/.353 versus lefties. That said, Santana was a thunderous force against left-handed pitching as recently as last season, when he raked at a .286/.356/.578 pace in 163 chances from the right-handed batter’s box.

Through the trade deadline, Santana’s bat was at least within arm’s reach of league average, but virtually all of his production this year came in a torrid month of May. He’s been below average at the plate in every other month and has cratered in August, hitting .186/.271/.233 through 48 plate appearances.

His recent poor play, coupled with the presence of young Kyle Manzardo and the recent promotion of top prospect C.J. Kayfus, left Santana without a clear role on a Guardians club that has fallen out of postseason contention. Cleveland will take the final month of the season to get regular reps for the 25-year-old Manzardo and the 23-year-old Kayfus. They’d surely hoped that another club would claim Santana and take on the remainder of his $12MM salary, but that was always a long shot. The Guards will remain on the hook for what’s left of that sum (minus the prorated minimum for any time he spends on another club’s major league roster).

Guardians Place Carlos Santana On Outright Waivers

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The Guardians have placed veteran first baseman Carlos Santana on outright waivers, Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel of The Athletic report. The 39-year-old switch-hitter is playing on a one-year, $12MM contract and still has about $2.13MM of that sum yet to be paid out.

Any team that claims Santana would need to take on the entirety of that remaining sum. Santana has not been designated for assignment, meaning he can continue to play while he is on waivers. If he goes unclaimed, the Guardians do not need to assign him to a minor league affiliate or remove him from the 40-man roster (though they could choose to do so). If he is claimed, the waivers are irrevocable, and Santana will head to the claiming club. In 455 plate appearances this season, Santana is hitting .225/.316/.333 with his typical brand of elite defense at first base.

Though his defense remains excellent and Santana is still drawing walks at a premium 11.4% rate, his overall offensive output has been about 14% worse than average, by measure of wRC+. This season’s 18.9% strikeout rate is the second-highest of his career and his worst since way back in 2011. Santana is averaging a career-low 87.5 mph off the bat and has struggled particularly from the left side of the plate, hitting just .220/.311/.325 against right-handed pitching.

The Guardians have fallen down the standings with a recent 1-9 skid. Cleveland now sits six games back in the American League Wild Card chase (plus an even more daunting 12.5 games out in the division).

With that swoon and the placement of Santana on waivers, they’ll turn the page on the 2025 season and give more playing time to younger, controllable first base/designated hitter options like Kyle Manzardo and recently promoted top prospect C.J. Kayfus. The 25-year-old Manzardo has popped 21 homers while hitting .231/.313/.453 in 415 plate appearances this season, while the 23-year-old Kayfus is hitting .220/.281/.424 in his first 63 turns at the plate as a big leaguer.

If another club does claim Santana and his remaining salary, he’d be postseason-eligible by virtue of that fact that he’s in his new organization prior to Sept. 1. If he goes unclaimed, Cleveland could release the well-respected veteran in hopes that he’ll catch on elsewhere and be able to participate in another postseason run.

MLBTR Podcast: Brent Rooker’s Extension, Gavin Lux, And Catching Up On The Holiday Transactions

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Tim Dierkes of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss…

Check out our past episodes!

The podcast intro and outro song “So Long” is provided courtesy of the band Showoff.  Check out their Facebook page here!

Mariners Made Two-Year Offer To Carlos Santana

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The Guardians made a splash over the weekend by signing first baseman Carlos Santana to a one-year deal worth $12MM, bringing the long-time Cleveland staple back into the fold for the third time in his career. With that being said, however, it wasn’t the only contract offer Santana received during his free agency. According to a report from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic this morning, the Mariners extended an offer to Santana that came with more guaranteed money than the one he landed in Cleveland. Rosenthal also cited the Yankees, Mets, Tigers, Diamondbacks, and Rangers, and Padres among clubs that had interest in the switch-hitter before he ultimately landed in Cleveland.

Regarding Seattle’s offer, Rosenthal specifies that not only did the deal come with more guaranteed money, but it actually involved a player option for the 2026 season, allowing Santana to either opt out and return to free agency or remain with the club. It’s somewhat surprising to hear that a club was willing to guarantee a second guaranteed year to Santana, who will celebrate his 39th birthday in early April. Rosenthal describes the Mariners as Santana’s “initial priority” until the Guardians realized that they could trade Josh Naylor to another Santana suitor, the Diamondbacks. At that point, the Guardians offered Santana (who had coincidentally just sold his Cleveland area home) the one-year deal he went on to sign.

The Mariners briefly acquired Santana from the Phillies during the 2018-19 offseason but flipped him to Cleveland shortly thereafter, before he ever suited up for the club. He eventually returned to the organization in 2022 after being traded there by the Royals, and this time his stay lasted 79 games. In 294 trips to the plate for Seattle, Santana hit .192/.293/.400. Despite that sub-Mendoza Line batting average, Santana’s performance was actually good for an above-average 103 wRC+ thanks to a strong 11.9% walk rate and the 15 home runs he clobbered down the stretch for the club.

That half-season stint evidently made enough of an impression with the Mariners that they were interested in a reunion as they searched for first base help this winter. Earlier this winter, the Mariners were reportedly pursuing a reunion with either Carlos Santana or Justin Turner at first base. Turner is still available, though it’s unclear whether that interest on Seattle’s end has persisted as the first base market has shifted in recent days. Of the six teams besides Cleveland that Rosenthal noted had interest in Santana’s services, three of them 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 and opened the door for Santana to re-sign in Cleveland.

For the Mariners, Mets, and Padres, there’s still a number of interesting first base options available. Turner has been a reliably above average hitter 11 consecutive seasons now but celebrated his 40th birthday last month, a reality that could give some teams pause about committing to him as a regular option if they can’t offer significant time at DH as well. Pete Alonso is of course the top free agent available at first base, though barring a sudden change in plans by the Padres or Mariners it seems unlikely he would fit the budgets rumored to be in play for 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 offers the possibility that the Giants could part ways with LaMonte Wade Jr. or perhaps 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.

Guardians Sign Carlos Santana

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The Guardians have reunited with a longtime veteran of the organization, announcing a one-year deal with first baseman Carlos Santana. The Octagon client is reportedly guaranteed $12MM. The signing comes on the heels of the club agreeing to a trade that sent first baseman Josh Naylor to Arizona on Saturday.

Santana, 39 in April, is a veteran of 15 MLB seasons who made his big league debut with Cleveland back in 2010. A catcher early in his career, Santana eventually moved to first base and has been defined throughout his career by phenomenal plate discipline. His walk rate has never fallen below 10.5% in a season across his lengthy big league career, and his strikeout rate surpassed 20% just once back in 2011. The one-time All-Star has spent ten seasons in Cleveland and will now suit up for an eleventh in year 16 of his big league career.

A career .251/.368/.450 (121 wRC+) hitter with the club, Santana has seen his bat decline somewhat since he last suited up for Cleveland back in 2020. He’s played for five teams over the past four seasons, including the Guardians’ division rivals in Kansas City and Minnesota. Santana has been more of a league average hitter in those stints away from Cleveland, hitting a collective .224/.320/.392 (99 wRC+) since he last played for the club. With that said, 2024 was a bit of a rebound season for Santana as he slashed a solid .238/.328/.420 (114 wRC+) in 150 games for the Twins while playing strong enough defense at first to earn his first career Gold Glove award. What’s more, even in his down years Santana has continued to hit well against left-handed pitching with a 125 wRC+ against southpaws across the last four seasons.

It’s hard to imagine the Guardians committing $12MM to a longtime face of the franchise coming off a three-win season just to make him a platoon player, and Santana surely figures to be the club’s regular first baseman in 2025. That leaves well-regarded youngster Kyle Manzardo, a top-100 prospect prior to the 2024 season who posted a 98 wRC+ in his first taste of big league action this year, likely relegated to a part-time role with appearances at DH while occasionally spelling Santana at first base. With that said, Manzardo’s presence offers the Guardians some insurance against Santana’s age catching up to him as well; pairing the lefty-swinging youngster with Santana’s switch-hitting bat that has long crushed lefties figures to be a solid way to get value out of the first base position even if Manzardo doesn’t take a step forward and Santana finds himself unable to replicate his excellent 2024 campaign.

Notably, Santana’s $12MM salary for 2025 is identical to the $12MM projection put forward by MLBTR contributor Matt Swartz for Naylor’s final year of arbitration eligibility. That makes Santana and Naylor a one-for-one swap from both a financial and team control perspective. Naylor (118 wRC+, 2.7 fWAR) was the slightly better hitter but slightly less productive overall in 2024, though the 11-year age gap between the two means he also projects better than Santana going forward. Even so, the addition of Santana allowed the Guardians to trade Naylor for right-hander Slade Cecconi and a pick in Competitive Balance Round B of the 2025 draft without losing much if anything in terms of on-the-field production for 2025.

That sleight of hand by the Guardians had the side effect of taking two more names off of a crowded first base market that has rapidly begun to thin out in recent days. Naylor and Santana are joined in having found their 2025 homes recently by Paul Goldschmidt, who signed with the Yankees on a one-year deal earlier today, and yesterday saw Christian Walker land a three-year deal with the Astros. Pete Alonso is the top free agent available at first base and remains on the market, with players like Anthony Rizzo, Josh Bell, Justin Turner, and Mark Canha still available in the lower tiers of the market. The trade market has fewer options who are clearly available, but Nathaniel Lowe of the Rangers, Yandy Diaz of the Rays, and LaMonte Wade Jr. of the Giants are all at least plausible candidates to change hands.

Jeff Passan of ESPN first reported the Guardians and Santana were in agreement on a one-year, $12MM deal.

Latest On Yankees’ First Base Search

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The Yankees have been linked to such free-agent first baseman as Christian Walker and Pete Alonso this winter, and talks seemingly remain ongoing in some form with the Cubs about Cody Bellinger’s availability.  Recent reports suggest that the Yankees and Cubs are upwards of $10MM apart in deciding how much of Bellinger’s salary will be covered by Chicago, and the New York Post’s Jon Heyman writes today that not much has changed in the stalemate between the two clubs.  As Heyman puts it, “it’s a matter of ’who blinks first,’ if ever.”

If none of these targets end up being a fit, the Yankees are “also considering” several other backup plans.  According to Heyman, these options include signing free agent Carlos Santana, or exploring a trade for the Guardians’ Josh Naylor or the Rangers’ Nathaniel Lowe.  Given how Yankees GM Brian Cashman usually casts a wide berth in checking in on numerous players every offseason, it’s probably safe to guess that more than just these aforementioned first basemen have drawn some level of interest from New York.

Signing Santana would be the most straight-forward and cost-effective move of the bunch, as Santana will almost surely require just a one-year guarantee because he is entering his age-39 season.  Despite his age, Santana rebounded from a few middling seasons to post a .238/.328/.420 slash line and 23 home runs for the Twins over 594 plate appearances in 2024, while also winning the AL Gold Glove at first base.  The combination of offense and defense translated to 3.0 fWAR for Santana, the third-highest of his 15 Major League seasons.

This production will merit Santana a raise on the $5.25MM he received in his one-year deal with Minnesota last winter, but concerns over his age and possible regression will probably limit his salary.  Signing Santana would also be a relatively low-upside play, whereas trading for Naylor or Lowe represents a higher ceiling for production.

Trading for Lowe would also mean more than just a one-year commitment, as the first baseman is arbitration-controlled through the 2026 season.  Projected for a $10.7MM salary this year, Lowe is coming off another solid season that saw him hit .265/.361/.401 with 16 homers over 565 PA, and Lowe also delivered quality defense as a Gold Glove finalist behind Santana.

There was a little buzz about Lowe’s possible availability heading into the trade deadline last summer, but nothing in the way of concrete reports that Texas was seriously considering moving the 29-year-old.  In re-signing Nathan Eovaldi and trading for Jake Burger, the Rangers are certainly aiming to return to contention in 2025, but moving Lowe to address another need on the active roster is a plausible tactic.  Since the Rangers are known to be looking for left-handed hitting, however, however, dealing such a lefty swinger in Lowe would only serve to tilt the lineup further to the right.

Trading Naylor would also be an imperfect move for a Guardians team that needs offensive help, but Cleveland has typically looked maximize its return on notable players by trading them before they reach free agency.  Naylor is therefore a more clear-cut trade candidate than Lowe, and Naylor’s projected $12MM arbitration salary won’t break the bank.  While Lowe or the switch-hitting Santana would also be good fits hitting at Yankee Stadium, the short porch in right field seems taylor-made for Naylor’s left-handed power bat, and it is easy to imagine Naylor topping his career-best total of 31 homers (set in 2024) over a full season in the Bronx.

Kyle Manzardo and Jhonkensy Noel are the likeliest candidates to step in at first base for the Guardians if Naylor is traded, though that is putting extra pressure on a pair of inexperienced players, plus the Guards would also need some extra first base/DH depth in that scenario.  Cleveland is also in need of outfield help, though the Yankees might not be a fit in that sense since they’re looking for outfielders themselves in the wake of Juan Soto’s departure.

Twins Interested In Re-Signing Carlos Santana, Adding Right-Handed Hitting Outfielder

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The Twins’ offseason checklist includes finding a right-handed hitting outfielder and a first baseman, president of baseball operations Derek Falvey told reporters (including Bobby Nightengale of the Minneapolis Star Tribune).  In regards to the latter need, Nightengale writes that team still has interest in bringing Carlos Santana back for another stint in the Twin Cities.

Santana signed a one-year, $5.25MM free agent deal with Minnesota last winter, and at age 38 delivered one of the best all-around seasons of his 15-year career.  Santana hit .238/.320/.420 with 23 home runs in 594 plate appearances (translating to a 114 wRC+) and displayed outstanding defense at first base, earning him his very first Gold Glove.  While his hard-contact numbers remained below average for the second straight year, Santana still made a lot of contact and avoided strikeouts, while drawing his customary large share of walks.

Between these numbers and his off-the-field presence in Minnesota’s clubhouse, it is easy to see why the Twins would want him back.  Re-signing Santana for a relatively modest raise also seems feasible, as despite his production, teams are likely to zone in on Santana’s age as a reason to not commit too much money on another one-year deal.  There’s also the fact that 2024 was essentially a bounce-back for Santana after he posted a 94 wRC+ and 2.3 combined fWAR over his previous four seasons, so this last year might be viewed as an outlier.

Santana had 3.0 fWAR in 2024, a number topped by only six hitters in this winter’s free agent class.  Santana tied Christian Walker with a 3.0 fWAR and both were ahead of Pete Alonso’s 2.1 fWAR, to compare Santana to the two top first-base names.  Needless to say, Walker and Alonso will still command much larger contracts than Santana, and Santana’s market might not fully develop until the bigger free agents (and trade targets) have landed on their next teams.  The Twins’ pre-existing relationship with Santana could give them an in, but Santana has also drawn interest from the Mariners, another of his former clubs.

Turning to the Twins’ needs on the grass, Minnesota’s ideal right-handed bat would be a corner outfielder, able to complement left-handed hitters Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach.  Nightengale suggests that Austin Hays might be a fit, as hitting coach Matt Borgschulte is familiar with Hays from their shared time together with the Orioles.

Seeking out only a platoon bat will limit the price tag on a new acquisition, which again fits for a Minnesota team that doesn’t have much available in payroll space.  Technically, the Twins might first have to move some money, as their projected $142.1MM payroll (estimate from RosterResource) is over their $129.6MM payroll from last season, and Falvey has already said that Minnesota will be spending at a similar level in 2025.

Mariners Seeking Right-Handed, Veteran First Baseman

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It’s been a quiet offseason so far for the Mariners, who have yet to sign a free agent to a major league deal. They have been linked to trade candidates like Cody Bellinger, Alec Bohm, and Nico Hoerner, and are reportedly listening to offers for Luis Castillo, but president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto came away from the Winter Meetings without pulling off any swaps either.

Still, the Mariners remain on the lookout for ways to improve an offense that finished 21st in runs scored in 2024. Reports surfaced at the beginning of the offseason that the club was looking for infield bats. Earlier this week, Dipoto confirmed that first, second, and third base are all areas of need (per Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times). As things stand, shortstop J.P. Crawford seems to be Seattle’s only infielder with a guaranteed everyday starting role.

According to Divish, the Mariners were aiming to check first base off their to-do list before the end of the Winter Meetings. They had previously expressed interest in both Carlos Santana and Justin Turner, and they were apparently willing to offer either veteran a one-year deal this week. Needless to say, neither fish was biting, but that doesn’t mean Dipoto has given up. On that note, Divish offered further insight into Seattle’s pursuit of Santana and Turner, reporting that the team is looking for an experienced hitter who can bat from the right side to split playing time with the lefty-batting Luke Raley. Raley hits well against righties but struggled badly in limited playing time against same-handed pitching in 2024. Turner has had neutral platoon splits throughout his career, and the switch-hitting Santana has done his best work against southpaws. Either could make a productive platoon partner for Raley.

With that said, one has to wonder if the newly minted Gold Glove winner Santana would be willing to accept anything less than a full-time job at first base. He’s coming off his best season in five years and might not be interested in a role that would involve splitting playing time. Turner, on the other hand, thrived in a first base/DH role for Seattle down the stretch in 2024. He has also made it clear that he’d be happy to return to the M’s. At the end of the regular season, he told Daniel Kramer of MLB.com in no uncertain terms, “I would love to be back and be a Mariner.”

Then again, if Santana can be persuaded to sign in Seattle, he might be the more impactful player. Thanks to his strong defense, he has outproduced Turner over the past two years according to every version of Wins Above Replacement. He’s also a year and a half younger than Turner, who turned 40 in November. To that point, Divish suggested the Mariners might be leaning toward Santana in a recent appearance on the “Daily Puck Drop” podcast, saying he believes Santana is their “priority” right now at first base.

Speaking of righty-batting, veteran first basemen, the Mariners have also expressed interest in Christian Walker. Kramer reports the team has had “conversations” about signing Walker, though he notes the three-time Gold Glove winner is probably out of their price range. Indeed, Divish suggests the Mariners have approximately $15MM to $17MM left to spend this winter, barring any trades to cut payroll. Given the fact that Walker turned down the one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer, he is surely looking for a contract worth more than $17MM per year. MLBTR predicted a three-year, $60MM deal for Walker on our Top 50 Free Agents list. While he could be a far more valuable addition than either Santana or Turner, that value will be reflected in his asking price.

It’s also worth pointing out that a player like Walker certainly isn’t going to split playing time with Raley. He is going to be the everyday first baseman wherever he signs. Thus, if the Mariners were to sign Walker, it would push Raley into the designated hitter role. That could be another reason the fit doesn’t make sense. Alternatively, perhaps Dipoto could package the talented and cost-controlled Raley with one of his higher-priced veterans (such as Mitch Haniger or Mitch Garver) as a way to get another team to take on one of his desirable contracts. If he could pull off such a move, perhaps he could free up enough payroll to sign Walker without going over budget.

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