Carlos Santana hopes to bring good vibes, big bat after signing free-agent deal with Pirates

Carlos Santana broke into dance as he was being introduced as the newest member of the Pittsburgh Pirates, giving a glimpse of the good vibes the veteran plans to bring to a young clubhouse.

Santana emphasized the importance of having fun before giving it his all in games, and the 36-year-old first baseman/designated hitter was all smiles Tuesday after signing a one-year, $6.725 million contract.

“That’s who I am: Just a really happy person. I really like to have a good time,” Santana said through translator Michelle Rodriguez Strozza, the Pirates director of communications, on a video conference call. “I’m big on dancing in the clubhouse, dancing in the dugout. Getting ready for the games, you’ll see me doing that. Even though people say my face looks a little stiff, I really mean well and I’m happy.”

que lo queee ???? pic.twitter.com/sQ114L4IR1

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) November 29, 2022

Pirates general manager Ben Cherington stressed that Santana was valued first and foremost as a player. A 2019 All-Star and American League Silver Slugger Award winner, Santana has 278 home runs and a .359 on-base percentage in 13 major-league seasons with Cleveland, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Seattle.

Santana also has a reputation as an excellent defender and clubhouse leader, and the Pirates are counting on him to have a positive impact on the team’s young Spanish-speaking players, especially fellow Dominicans such has shortstop Oneil Cruz and second baseman Rodolfo Castro. It’s a role that Santana is willing to embrace.

“It’s definitely a nice part of what Carlos brings to the table,” Cherington said. “We believe in him as a player. We believe in his ability to help us on the field. The other qualities he brings, which have been affirmed by people he’s been around in other places, we like also. That’s great. It’s an added benefit.

“We happen to have a good-sized group of young Dominican and young Latin American players emerging and coming onto the team. So sure, it helps to have experienced veteran models for those players, and Carlos has built and earned a reputation for being a very reliable teammate, a very reliable pro, for doing the right stuff, for working hard, for keeping himself in shape, all those things that we would hope our young player group aspires to be.”

The switch-hitting Santana has hit at least 18 home runs in each full season since 2011 — he had eight in the 60-game season in 2020, including a controversial three-run shot over the left-field foul pole in the 10th inning to beat the Pirates that August. He is coming off a 19-homer, 60-RBI campaign split between the Royals and Mariners.

Carlos Santana signing with the Pirates reminded me of this extremely controversial home-run at the time in the Covid season ???? https://t.co/B09yLukJYq pic.twitter.com/J3XIUOZSeg

— csr (@csrbackup_) November 26, 2022

The Pirates are attracted to his on-base percentage, as he drew nearly as many walks (71) as he had strikeouts (88) last season. Santana’s batting average is another story, as it slipped from .281 in 2019 to .199 in 2020, .214 in 2021 and .202 last year. Cherington called it a “little bit of bad luck,” adding that he believes Santana will benefit next season from baseball’s banning of defensive shifts next season.

“He’s been obviously a really consistent performer for a long time,” Cherington said. “He hits from both sides of the plate. He’s continued to walk a lot, not strike out, hit the ball hard. We believe, based on the analysis we’ve done from his 2022 season and then potentially some benefit from the shift rules, that there could be even more offense than what he showed this past year.”

Cherington said he would leave the decision on whether Santana will play first base, where he had a .997 fielding percentage and made two errors in 625 chances last season, or designated hitter to manager Derek Shelton. The Pirates acquired another first baseman/DH in Ji-Man Choi from Tampa earlier this month, and they also claimed Lewin Diaz off waivers from Miami.

If he plays the field, Santana joked that he might need to find a new glove because of Cruz’s arm. The 6-foot-7 shortstop had baseball’s hardest recorded throw across the infield, at 97.8 mph, last July. Santana also is impressed with third baseman Ke’Bryan Hayes, a Gold Glove finalist for the first time.

“Looks like he can throw with a bit of strength,” Santana said. “What I see with these guys is great stuff. I take a lot of pride in my work and how I prepare defensively, so I look forward to get to know their movements and how they throw and if I have to make any adjustments to do that. But if I have any suggestion or advice for them, I can work on things together. I really think the Pirates organization has such a bright future ahead with those two guys.”

Santana said the Pirates made him a priority in free agency, so he was ready to show off his dance moves once he passed his physical and signed his contract.

“The Pirates took charge and showed so much interest in me,” Santana said, “that it really made it key for me to want to take a look back and join this organization and represent them.”