Chicago Cubs in talks with released 16 year MLB veteran

According to Héctor Gómez, the Cubs are in talks to acquire 16-year MLB veteran Carlos Santana. After losing playing time to younger players in Cleveland, Santana and the team mutually agreed to part ways. This year the switch hitter is slashing .225/.316/.333 over 116 games with 11 home runs and 52 RBI, but his OPS+ is just 81.

He is now aiming to join a contender and has until 11:59 PM on August 31 to sign with an organization to remain postseason-eligible. Notably, he doesn’t need to be on the 40- or 26-man roster by that deadline to qualify.

Rosters expand in September

If the Cubs do actually sign Santana, they would have the benefit of the active roster expanding from 26 to 28 on September 1. He likely would not garner much playing time, but he was a Gold Glove award winner and certainly could be a valuable defensive replacement and/or pinch hitter late in games.

If the Cubs do end up signing Santana, it would be a low-risk move with the potential for meaningful impact. With rosters expanding to 28 on September 1, there’s room to add a veteran presence without disrupting the current roster. He could be exactly the kind of subtle addition that could pay off in a tight postseason race.