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'Cleveland, it's in my heart': Carlos Santana is trying to beat Father Time with Guardians
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- 'Cleveland, it's in my heart': Carlos Santana is trying to beat Father Time with Guardians
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Carlos Santana is trying to buck the trend.
The Guardians signed Santana to a one-year, $12 million deal shortly after trading Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks . The swap added Slade Cecconi to the pitching staff mix and inserted Santana, now 38 years old, at first base.
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There aren't many position players of that age still landing roles in lineups. In fact, Santana was momentarily the oldest position player in the major leagues until Justin Turner signed with the Chicago Cubs Tuesday morning.
But he also doesn't seem to be slowing down too much as he presses onward into his late 30s, when the recent trends have seen many hitters fall off a bit faster than in the past. Last year with the Minnesota Twins , Santana hit 23 home runs and accrued 3.0 fWAR , which actually eclipsed Naylor's analytical value (2.3 fWAR). He also won his first Gold Glove at the age of 38.
Minnesota Twins' Carlos Santana (30) hits a solo home run against the Cleveland Guardians on Aug. 9, 2024, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
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He knows he isn't in his mid-20s anymore, but he also doesn't feel like he's approaching his 39th birthday, either. It's all about Santana hoping to squeeze out every ounce of baseball, which led to him preparing for games more than at any point in his career.
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"I mean, not 25, but I don't feel 38," Santana said. "My number one priority is working on my body. I'm checking a lot of stuff, eating healthy, sleeping well, not drinking alcohol. I have training [aides], a chef, a lot of stuff they can [help with] to keep my body like that."
Santana knows the end is probably near. But he's trying to push that sunset off into the distance.
"My body [will tell] me," Santana said, referencing when he knows it'll be time to call it quits. "Right now, I feel great. I'm thinking one or two more years. I think this season will be good for me because I'm working hard and I'm preparing, so I'm not thinking nothing negative."
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It's still unclear where Santana might hit in Stephen Vogt's lineup as a switch-hitter who can work the strike zone and get on base, along with perhaps a 20-homer season. He'll have an easy road to plenty of at-bats with his defense at first base and David Fry unavailable to act as a designated hitter for quite some time.
Vogt certainly understands the toll the constant grind of a baseball season can take on older players.
"It takes longer for your body to get going every day," Vogt said. "It takes you a little longer to recover. You do a lot more recovery stuff at night. It's hard as you get older. And what Carlos has been able to do in his late 30s these last couple years has been super impressive."
Minnesota Twins first baseman Carlos Santana (30) tags out Cleveland Guardians baserunner Will Brennan (17) on May 18, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Carlos Santana wins first Gold Glove in 15th MLB season
Winning the first Gold Glove in his 15th MLB season isn't exactly a typical experience for a major leaguer. That is especially the case when, before 2024, Santana had been given a negative defensive rating (via FanGraphs) in every season since his rookie year. Part of the extra preparation it took to get ready for games included some defensive work, and Santana used it to turn around what had been a negative trend.
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"It just shows me he's dedicated to being great," Vogt said. "He's dedicated to wanting to play, and he's kept his body in such great shape over the years. And 15 years in the big leagues doesn't happen by accident. He's someone that is consistently wanting to be better than he was in the previous year. That's what keeps you driving to be great."
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This will be Santana's third stint with the Guardians . He's played 15 years in the major leagues. He's spent time with seven different teams. But somehow, it seems, he always ends up back in Cleveland . It's where he has had the happiest years of his career, and it might be where it finishes.
"[My two daughters], they ask, 'Daddy, when [will you go] back to Cleveland? And I tell them, 'Soon,'" Santana said. "Cleveland, it's in my heart. I talk to people, they ask me, who is the best front office? Cleveland. Manager? Cleveland. Everything? Cleveland. … This is my house."
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And in celebration of his return to Cleveland, and the continuation of his career, the Guardians gifted him a present. Their home opener, April 8 against the Chicago White Sox , falls on his 39th birthday.
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Can Guardians Gold Glove 1B Carlos Santana keep aging like wine?
