The Cleveland Guardians have had one of the quietest offseasons of any MLB team as the team is clearly slated to rely on a lot of internal upgrades. Notable prospects such as Chase DeLauter, C.J. Kayfus, and George Valera could all step into prominent roles in 2026 in an effort to improve what was at times a lifeless offense in 2025, and only time will tell if this was the right move as opposed to signing some help in free agency.
There are plenty of moving parts along the infield as well, aside from Jose Ramirez, who recently signed a seven-year extension to hopefully keep him in Cleveland for the rest of his career. Kayfus could wind up locking down first base, and he’ll aim to fill the shoes of a former legendary first basemen who will now be taking his talents to the desert.
The Arizona Diamondbacks made some noise in free agency as they signed former Guardians first baseman Carlos Santana. Insider Ken Rosenthal shared the news on X, and he’ll have a chance to
“Free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana in agreement with Diamondbacks, pending physical, sources tell me and [Will Sammon],” Rosenthal posted on X. Many believed Santana was headed for retirement, but he’ll now compete for at-bats at first base and designated hitter for a potential NL West contender.
Free-agent first baseman Carlos Santana in agreement with Diamondbacks, pending physical, sources tell me and @WillSammon
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 3, 2026
Santana’s deal is for one year and $2 million and will keep the soon-to-be 40-year-old in the show for at least another year. He’ll look to rebound from an awful 2025 campaign that saw him hit just .219 with a career-low .633 OPS.
Santana spent most of last year with Cleveland after re-signing on a one-year deal, but he was designated for assignment late in the year and signed with the Chicago Cubs for the stretch run, where he recorded just two hits in 19 at-bats. The Guardians are still looking for their next long-term solution at first base in Santana’s absence, as he was a steady presence for eight years to begin his career before signing for two more years in 2019 and 2020 after a one-year stint in Philadelphia with the Phillies.
His third stint in Cleveland didn’t go too well last year, but hopefully, his first stint in Arizona treats him well.
NEXT: New Jose Ramirez Video Has Guardians Fans Fired Up For Spring Training
