Carlos Santana is an excellent professional, and if the Cleveland Guardians don't keep him around during the offseason, there's a good chance another team would be willing to give him exactly what he's looking for.
At 39 years old, it remains uncertain how much longer Santana plans to play, but he's proving to still be an above-average professional. While his numbers are down, posting an 84 OPS+, which would be the lowest of his career outside of the 2021 campaign, Santana should still find a new club if the Guardians go that direction.
MORE: Guardians' Steven Kwan receives brutally honest review amid recent struggles
“Cleveland operates in similar fashion as Tampa Bay in that the Guardians rarely let quality players leave in free agency -- they’re either extended or traded when their value is highest. That means there aren’t many options to choose from on the Guardians roster. Santana has taken a step back after a few resurgent seasons from 2023-24, posting a .663 OPS with 11 home runs in 107 games,” they wrote.
The Guardians likely aren't in a position to give Santana anything more than a couple of million dollars, unless they believe they have an opportunity to compete next season.
With how the Guardians have played over the past few weeks, it’s certainly fair to suggest that they could be in that position.
Cleveland is now showing that it was a lot better than it played during the early stages of the campaign, so the front office could view next season as another chance to win the American League Central.