The Cleveland Guardians have struggled to get much going offensively this season. While Jose Ramirez and Kyle Manzardo have been great, and Steven Kwan and C.J. Kafus have been solid, the rest of the offense has been subpar.
One of the biggest contributors to the lackluster offense in Cleveland is veteran first baseman Carlos Santana. He struggled in 2025, not hitting like he did a year ago.
Now, amid the team’s series against the Tampa Bay Rays, according to Ken Rosenthal and Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the Guardians have placed Santana on outright waivers, potentially ending his time with the team.
Guardians Make Firm Carlos Santana Decision
While the Guardians aren’t dropping him off the roster completely, they are opening the door to his departure. Cleveland is placing Santana on outright waivers, which isn’t a full release, as Meisel and Rosenthal elaborate on.
“Teams have 48 hours to submit a claim on a player who was placed on outright waivers,” Rosenthal and Meisel write, “with priority determined by record, starting with the worst. Any team that wins a claim would be responsible for the remaining salary owed to Santana, which would be a little more than $2 million.”
With the chance for teams to put a claim on Santana, the veteran first baseman could be on his way to a new team if one decides to claim him.
But if he makes it through waivers, then the Guardians will have a further choice to make. They could keep him on the roster or cut ties with him, creating a spot in Triple-A for a different hitter.
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This move comes amid the Guardians’ three-game shutout losing skid, which comes amid the team losing their last six games, and dropping nine of their last 10 games.
In the offseason, Cleveland reunited with Santana on a one-year, $12 million deal. During his time in Cleveland in 2025, he played in 116 games and hit .225 with a .650 OPS, the worst mark of his 16-year big league career.
The 39-year-old Gold Glove first baseman put together an incredible career, with the majority of it (11 years) coming in Cleveland. But this decision from the Guardians could have Santana’s career in Cleveland come to a close.
Santana hits outright waivers with a chance for other teams around Major League Baseball to claim him. His time in Cleveland could come to an end, regardless of whether he is claimed or not.
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