Guardians and Santana agree to separation: End of an era in Cleveland

Carlos Santana Leaves the Guardians: A Mutual Agreement

The departure of first baseman Carlos Santana from the Cleveland Guardians was a “joint decision,” according to the team’s president of baseball operations, Chris Antonetti. Santana, 39, was removed from the roster after passing through waivers on Thursday, giving him the opportunity to sign with another team before Sunday’s deadline for playoff eligibility.

In the last week, we had a lot of dialogue with Carlos because of the incredible appreciation we have for him. I give him a lot of credit for being a very stabilizing veteran presence on our team. He has had a massive impact on our franchise.

Chris Antonetti

Santana batted .225 with 11 home runs and 52 RBIs in 116 games after signing a one-year contract in December. The former Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner is one of 30 players in franchise history who have played 11 seasons with Cleveland. With the Guardians five games out of the final American League Wild Card spot, they opted to reduce Santana’s playing time in favor of second-year designated hitter Kyle Manzardo and rookie first baseman CJ Kayfus.

Carlos asked: ‘If I pass through waivers, would you mind releasing me to give me the opportunity to play somewhere else?’ What Carlos has meant to this organization cannot be overstated. It’s invaluable.

Stephen Vogt, manager of Cleveland

The 15-year veteran has also played for Kansas City, Philadelphia, Minnesota, Pittsburgh, Seattle and Milwaukee, and is the active leader with 1,330 walks.

He’ll probably be in the Cleveland Guardians Hall of Fame in a couple of years. It was a lot of fun getting to know him and working with him.

Stephen Vogt