While the Cleveland Guardians have an easy schedule to close out July, and are just three games out of the wild card in the AL, the team can still sell some of its players. But it might not be Steven Kwan or Emmanuel Clase, but rather a different fan favorite.
For Zack Meisel of The Athletic, the Guardians could look to move on from fan favorite veteran Carlos Santana at the trade deadline.
“There was already a risk to Cleveland signing Santana,” Meisel writes, “who turned 39 in April, to a one-year, $12 million deal to replace Josh Naylor at first base. He remains an elite defender, but his bat has slipped, and the Guardians have first base prospect C.J. Kayfus waiting at Triple-A Columbus.”
With Naylor, whom the Guardians moved on from, traded to the Seattle Mariners, the first base trade market is becoming slim. Ryan O’Hearn and Santana are the two best remaining first basemen on the board.
Cleveland needs to improve their weak offense, and trading Santana could help do so. Kafus is an ascending prospect, while Santana is a waning veteran who’s regressed offensively this season.
MORE: MLB insider reveals Guardians’ trade demands for Steven Kwan
Through 96 games this season, Santana has a .225 batting average with a .319 on-base percentage and .345 slugging percentage. His .665 OPS is the lowest it’s been since his 2021 season with the Kansas City Royals.
In year 16, Santana has been a decent player, but the Guardians need to move on from him to get younger and see what they have in their prospects. He’s in his 11th season in Cleveland, and if they move on from him at the deadline, it could be his last.
He’s had an incredible career. He’s an All-Star who’s won a gold glove and was a Silver Slugger. He’s hit 335 career home runs and has 400 career doubles.
But with his regression this season, the Guardians need to make a change, and a trade is a realistic path forward for both Santana and Cleveland. Teams will have some interest, and even if it’s not much, any return for Santana would be worth it.
MORE MLB NEWS:
