The possibility of Carlos Santana finishing the season with this AL playoff contender feels so right that some might even call it … smooth.
The Cleveland Guardians placed the veteran first baseman on outright waivers Tuesday, potentially ending his third stint with the organization for whom he made his Major League debut in June 2010. Teams have 48 hours to submit a claim on Santana, and should that happen within the timeframe, that team would be responsible for a little over $2 million of Santana’s one-year, $12 million contract.
The 39-year-old switch-hitter will know by Thursday if he is heading elsewhere, and if no team makes a claim, Santana could remain with the Guardians, potentially as an active player. Or Cleveland could designate Santana for assignment, meaning he would be free to sign with another team before the Sept. 1 deadline to be eligible for postseason play.
A team like the Detroit Tigers.
Carlos Santana Would Bring Gold Glove Defense to Detroit
At 78-56, Detroit has the top record in the American League, with a 9.5 game lead in the Central Division. Led by one of the best pitching staffs in the league, the Tigers are a near-lock to make the playoffs.
But if there’s one area where Detroit could perhaps use a boost, it’s defense. The Tigers currently rank 13th in Defensive Runs Saved with 27, while they are 15th in Outs Above Average, with 0.
That’s one area where Santana can definitely provide a benefit.
A catcher when he entered the league, Santana has turned himself into one of the league’s best defensive first baseman. He won his first and only Gold Glove while with the Minnesota Twins in 2024, becoming the oldest player in MLB history to earn the award, and he has a chance to beat that record this season, as Santana currently leads all AL first baseman with 11 Defensive Runs Saved, while he is second in Outs Above Average with 7, one behind Ty France of the Toronto Blue Jays.
That resume speaks directly to what Detroit needs.
For all the Tigers’ pitching depth and defensive effort, October baseball often comes down to handling the biggest outs cleanly. Santana’s reliability at first base would give A.J. Hinch the kind of late-inning assurance managers crave. His defense alone makes him a valuable add, but his experience makes the fit even stronger.
Detroit Would Benefit from Carlos Santana’s Veteran Leadership for its Playoff Push
This is a Tigers team that finally broke through last season, reaching the postseason for the first time since 2014. That storybook run, which included a Wild Card win over the Astros, ended with a three-games-to-two loss to Cleveland in the Division Series. For much of the roster, it was their first real taste of playoff intensity, and the lack of October seasoning showed.
Santana has lived those moments for more than a decade. He was Cleveland’s starting first baseman when they came within a game of winning the 2016 World Series, and he has logged postseason trips with three different clubs since. The perspective of a 16-year veteran who has seen every shade of October would be invaluable inside a young clubhouse still learning how to manage the nerves and pressure.
Even if his bat is no longer what it was at its peak, Santana brings a steady offensive profile.
He has always been a master of controlling the strike zone, ranking second in Guardians/Indians franchise history in walks with 933, behind only Hall of Famer Jim Thome. He also sits fifth on Cleveland’s all-time home run list with 227, while his 1,878 career hits and 335 home runs put him among the most productive active hitters in Major League Baseball.
It is rare for a player who built so much of his legacy with one franchise to still be adding to his totals well into his late thirties, but that is exactly the kind of consistency that has defined Santana’s career.
For Detroit, there is little risk and plenty of reward. A modest financial cost nets them one of the best defensive first basemen in the game, a hitter who still grinds out at-bats, and a veteran presence who can help steady the franchise through another October journey.
The Tigers have their sights set higher than just making the playoffs this year. Santana’s glove, voice, and experience could help turn that ambition into something far greater.
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