Santana adds new chapter to Cleveland story?

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The response was unusual when the Guardians' general manager called Carlos Santana's agent to express interest in signing the veteran first baseman -- and two-time former Clevelander -- for the 2025 season.

“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Ulises Cabrera said.

It wasn’t the interest that was surprising. It was the timing. That day, Santana was signing the papers to sell his longtime house in Bratenahl, an eastern Cleveland suburb.

“One day too late,” Santana said of the call from the Guards.

Though Santana sold that home, he still has one in the Cleveland clubhouse. The club acquired him as a highly touted catching prospect in the midseason 2008 trade that sent Casey Blake to the Dodgers. Santana reached the big leagues with Cleveland in 2010, made a name for himself as an on-base machine, signed with the Phillies as a free agent in 2018, came back to Cleveland in a trade that resulted in his first All-Star appearance (in Cleveland!). Then, in 2019, he spent a little time with the Royals (2021) before joining the Mariners (2022), Pirates and Brewers (2023), and Twins (2024).

As the Guardians embark upon their first full-squad workout on Tuesday, Santana is back where it all began, albeit with a different team name than he’s accustomed to.

“I’m excited, coming back,” he said. “Especially, Opening Day in Cleveland. That day, it’s my birthday [April 8], so I think that’s a special day.”

It will be his 39th birthday, and that makes Santana a bit of a marvel. As of now, he’s slated to be one of the oldest players in MLB. But his longevity says something about how well his plate discipline has aged (he still ranks well above average in chase, walk and strikeout rates). His glovework at first base has improved (he won his first-ever Gold Glove at the position last year.

On a tight budget, the Guardians allocated all of the $12 million that would have been spent on All-Star first baseman Josh Naylor (dealt to the Diamondbacks) in arbitration on a guy pushing 40.

Santana appears to be in better shape now than when he debuted. He credits conversations with Nelson Cruz (who finished sixth in the AL MVP voting in 2020) to helping him discover how to age gracefully.

“I don’t feel 38,” Santana said. “This is my No. 1 priority. I’m checking a lot of stuff. I eat healthy, sleep well, I’m not doing alcohol, I have training, I have a chef. There’s a lot of stuff I can do to keep my body like that.”

Though the Guardians have 24-year-old Kyle Manzardo coming into his own at first, the unavailability of David Fry (elbow surgery) as a DH option in the first part of the season and the departure of Naylor’s power means the Guards have a lot riding on Santana continuing to produce in what will likely be an everyday role at the start. Last year, he crushed lefties to the tune of a .286/.356/.578 slash, but his .219/.318/.358 slash against righties is a point of concern due to current roster arrangements.

Defensively, though, Santana, who was worth an MLB-best 14 outs above average at first base last season, figures to give the Guards a substantial upgrade at the position. And that’s a credit to the work he’s put in after shifting there full-time back in 2015. Santana said the attention he’s had to place on his conditioning has helped him become a more agile, reliable defender, even as he’s aged.

“It just shows me that he’s dedicated to be great,” manager Stephen Vogt said. “Fifteen years in the big leagues doesn’t happen by accident.”

Santana has every intention of extending that career as long as possible. He would have kept that home in the Cleveland area -- the first home he purchased in the United States -- for as long as possible, too, but he teared up as he told reporters that when the woman who took care of the home for him passed away, he decided to sell it.

The timing was unfortunate. Santana would love to be staying in that home this season. Instead, he’ll rent a place close to the ballpark.

But that’s OK. Even without the house, he’s back home.

“Cleveland,” he said, “is in my heart.”