The Cleveland Guardians lost one of their best hitters in the offseason.
Trading Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks was a significant setback, but it didn’t take long for them to respond to that move.
They brought back fan favorite Carlos Santana for his third stint with the organization.
And while he’s not getting any younger, Paul Hoynes of Cleveland.com believes manager Stephen Vogt will still trust him with cleanup duties this season:
“Josh Naylor started 139 regular-season games in the cleanup spot last year, but he’s gone. Vogt isn’t shy about juggling the lineup, but I would think he’d keep Santana at or near the cleanup spot as much as possible,” Hoynes said.
Santana signed a one-year deal worth $12 million after a very solid season with the Minnesota Twins.
He’s the leading candidate to be both the starting first baseman and most prominent power-hitter on the team.
The 38-year-old slugger hit .238 with 71 RBIs and 23 home runs last season.
He also became the oldest position player to win his first Gold Glove.
As a proficient switch-hitter, Santana ranks second in team history in walks (881).
He’s also sixth in home runs (216) and eighth in XBHs (503).
Santana might not be a spring chicken, and some decline in his production is to be expected at some point.
Nonetheless, he’s always been a consistent hitter and someone to be trusted in big situations.
The Guardians don’t have that much power in their lineup.
Santana will be trusted to do plenty of the heavy lifting for a team that started last season hot but eventually regressed.
Hopefully, he will keep defying Father Time and provide the fans with more during his third tenure with the organization.
NEXT: Analyst Gives Guardians Final Offseason Grade
