Former Seattle Mariners First Baseman Named Gold Glove Finalist
The MLB released their finalists for Gold Glove awards on Tuesday and many Seattle Mariners fans were happy to see two players represented among the nominees.
Cal Raleigh is one of the American League's three finalists for catcher and Dylan Moore is one of the AL's nominees for utility player.
But those two weren't the only players on the list who've played in the Pacific Northwest.
Former Mariners and current Minnesota Twins first baseman Carlos Santana is another player eligible to receive the gold patch.
Santana played for Seattle for 79 games in the team's playoff season in 2022.
With the Mariners, Santana batted .192 with 15 home runs and 39 RBIs. He was acquired by Seattle in a trade with the Kansas City Royals on June 27, 2022. Santana elected free agency after his half-season with the Mariners.
Posting Random 2021-2023 Mariners highlights until Opening Day — Day 36:
— Switch (@IISwitchII) November 12, 2023
Carlos Santana's first home run as a Mariner comes at a perfect time, giving the M's a 2-1 lead that they'd never surrender.
July 9th, 2022. pic.twitter.com/a6oOdwEFlz
With the Twins in 2024, Santana hit .238 with 23 homers and 71 RBIs. But his stellar play at first base was what put him on the Gold Glove finalist list with the Texas Rangers' Nathaniel Lowe and the Baltimore Orioles' Ryan Mountcastle.
In 1,094 total chances at first base, Santana committed just four errors and posted a .996 fielding percentage. His fielding mark was tied for third in the league.
Santana had 14 outs above average, which ranks in the 97th percentile in the league, according to Baseball Savant. He had eight defensive runs saved, according to FanGraphs.
Santana is 38 years-old but is still an effective power-hitter and clearly a plus-defender. He will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason and will likely get a few phone calls from several contenders looking for power and defense.
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