Mariners reportedly interested in a reunion with Carlos Santana

The Mariners have done little to strengthen the roster so far this offseason, but apparently they’re considering bringing back Carlos Santana.

The biggest need for the Seattle Mariners entering this offseason, was to improve the offense. While not awful, it lagged behind the quality of the pitching and defense during the 2023 season.

However, instead of bringing better bats in, the Mariners have instead offloaded the likes of Jarred Kelenic, Eugenio Suárez and Teoscar Hernández. For all their flaws and inconsistency, the trio still had the talent to be extremely potent.

To date, the only signing of note has been Mitch Garver, but he’s more of a complimentary addition than someone of significance. The Mariners still need to strengthen their lineup, if they are serious about contending this coming season.

With this in mind, some speculation has emerged which may well be of interest to fans, courtesy of MLB Network baseball insider Jon Heyman. As reported in his most recent column for the New York Post, Heyman writes that the Mariners are showing interest in Carlos Santana.

Heyman also notes that the Pirates and Brewers are similarly interested in Santana. He has spent time with all three teams during the past two seasons.

Should the Mariners go backwards to move forward?

The question is, does the 2019 All-Star represent the type of player who can boost the Mariners’ offense? In this respect, it really comes down to perspective.

For example, the pure and simple fact is that the majority of Santana’s stint in Seattle was less than impressive. Acquired during a trade in June of 20222 from the Royals, he went on to make 79 appearances during the remainder of the regular season.

(Santana was actually previously with the Mariners for a short period in late 2018, as part of a trade with the Phillies which also brought in a certain J.P. Crawford. However, he was subsequently moved to the Rays in a three-team trade where the team acquired Edwin Encarnación.)

During that time, the 37-year-old’s .192 batting average and .293 OBP were the lowest of any of the six teams he has played for during his 14 years in the Majors. Further, his .400 slugging percentage and .693 OPS were the second-worst.

For what it’s worth however, Santana also hit 15 homers for the Mariners, with his 5.1 percent home run rate the best of any of the teams he has played for. In addition, he stepped up during the playoffs particularly in the wild card series, when he had a home run, three RBI and one walk in two games versus the Blue Jays.

In fairness, the Mariners will be looking at the 2019 Silver Slugger’s offensive production for his career as a whole. And despite his advancing age, there appears to still be life left in the wily veteran.

Solid scoring production remains

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In this respect, Santana had a combined 23 home runs and 86 RBI last season with the Pirates and Brewers, as he hit .240 and produced a .747 OPS. The 86 RBI are particularly noteworthy, as they represent the third-most of his Major League career.

The Mariners used the Dominican Republic native more as a DH during his tenure in Seattle. Last season however, he spent most of his time at first base, where he produced a reliable .993 fielding percentage.

Either way, the Mariners would still be strengthening both positions, each of which had their issues last season. Ty France slumped at first base and could use some reliable backup this year, while the combination of Santana and Garver at DH would undoubtedly represent an improvement on 2023.

In terms of intangibles, Santana is a switch hitter, who provides leadership and has always been durable. In respect of any concern about the Mariners’ perceived financial limitations, he is within reach based on his salary of $6.725 million last season.

Overall, there are more positives than negatives when it comes to bringing Santana back. While he wouldn’t provide the big offensive addition the Mariners arguably still need, he would represent a good signing.

What is your opinion on the apparent interest in Santana? Would you like the Mariners to re-sign him, or look elsewhere for offensive help? Let us know in the comments section below.