Guardians Bring Back Franchise Great on One-Year Deal in Free Agency

The Cleveland Guardians are welcoming a familiar face back to Progressive Field, having agreed to a one-year, $12 million deal with veteran first baseman Carlos Santana, according to multiple reports.

The move to bring back Santana comes just after the Guardians agreed to trade first baseman Josh Naylor to the Arizona Diamondbacks. They worked quickly to find his replacement, striking a short pact with Santana who is fresh off his first-ever Gold Glove season at first base.

Santana started his career with Cleveland, playing the first eight seasons of his career with the franchise from 2010 to '17. He returned for another two seasons from '19 to '20, making this his third stint in Cleveland.

Santana, who will be 39 at the start of next season, started his career as a catcher but transitioned to first base early into his career. In 2024, at 38 years old, he became the oldest player to win their first-ever Gold Glove after taking home the award last season.

For his career, Santana, a one-time All-Star, has played in 2,080 games across 15 seasons. He's hit 324 home runs with 1,082 RBIs and owns a career OPS of .785.