Carlos

Santana

Santana still isn’t ready to call it as he approaches his 41st birthday in April, so he’s playing winter ball for the first time in 13 years in an effort to show he still has something left. Santana opened last season with the Diamondbacks, but he got hurt right away in April and Arizona chose to release him once he was ready to return in late June. He went on to sign with Atlanta and hit .292/.385/.382 in 27 games in Triple-A, but the Braves never called him up.

As reported by ESPN’s Jeff Passan on Saturday evening, the 40-year-old slugger joins the Braves on a minor league deal. He’ll report to Triple-A Gwinnett where he’ll function as insurance in the even that Dominic Smith’s recent struggles continue. Santana was just 2-for-24 (.083) with eight strikeouts in his limited action with the Diamondbacks before being released on Friday.

Santana didn’t seem to have much in the tank left last year, but he didn’t get a real shot with the Diamondbacks after playing in eight games at the beginning of the season and then getting released upon returning from an adductor strain. The Braves could go to him as a part-timer at some point if Dominic Smith continues to fade.

The 40-year-old slugger was designated for assignment earlier in the week. He hasn’t played since April 5 due to a right adductor injury and has not performed well on his minor league rehab assignment. He’s now free to explore other opportunities if he chooses to do so.

Santana (right adductor) hasn’t played since April 5th and has not looked good during his rehab assignment. The 40-year-old was just 2-for-24 for Arizona before suffering his injury. With no room for him on the active roster, the Diamondbacks have decided to move on.

Santana was removed from the game in the sixth inning, but the Diamondbacks could have very well just decided they didn’t want their 40-year-old first baseman to withstand any more abuse. Santana has been on the IL since April 7th with a groin injury and then suffered an oblique strain in early May while beginning a rehab assignment. In the meantime, Pavin Smith has returned to the Diamondbacks lineup, so it remains to be seen what happens to Santana’s playing time when he does return.

Santana, 40, will begin his rehab assignment at the lowest level. The veteran infielder will likely need a couple of weeks of games in the minors before being an option near the end of June for the Diamondbacks.

The procedural move frees up a spot on Arizona’s 40-man roster to bring Pavin Smith back from the 60-day injured list. Santana is facing a lengthy absence after suffering another adductor strain while on a minor league rehab assignment back in mid-May.

Santana reinjured his shoulder over the weekend while on a minor league rehab assignment and won’t be returning to Arizona’s lineup anytime soon. The 40-year-old’s ongoing absence means even more job security for unexpected late-career breakout sensation Ildemaro Vargas at first base.

Santana has been out for close to a month with a strained right adductor. The 40-year-old veteran will likely need a handful of games or so before he will be an option again for the D-backs in the next week or so.