Carlos Santana, one of the MLB’s longest-tenured sluggers, has found a new home on the free agent market after agreeing to a two-year, $17.5 million contract with the Kansas City Royals.
Santana’s 2021 club option was declined by the Cleveland Indians after hitting only .199 with 8 home runs in 60 games during the pandemic-shortened season.
It did not take long for Santana to find suitors on the free agent market, and it ended up being a former division rival that presented him with the most attractive offer.
The Dominican slugger’s penchant for getting on base and hitting home runs has long been his calling card, and a Royals team desperately looking to upgrade its offense should be happy with their new acquisition if his production falls in line with his career norms.
The 2019 AL All-Star and Silver Slugger winner is just a year removed from a .281 campaign with 31 home runs, and the Royals will hope that he can step in at the first base position and provide them with production that they haven’t gotten ever since Eric Hosmer left for the San Diego Padres.
The Royals might not be expected to contend over the next couple of seasons, but adding a piece like Santana is fundamental if the 2015 World Series champions want to begin to claw back towards relevance in one of the league’s toughest divisions.
