Seattle Mariners right fielder Domingo Santana (16) runs to third against the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim in 2019. Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Former Seattle Mariners Slugger, Still Excelling in Japan, Likely to Miss Rest of Season

Originally posted on Seattle Mariners on SI
By Brady Farkas | Last updated Aug 5, 2025 4:45 PM ET

Former Seattle Mariners slugger Domingo Santana is likely to miss the rest of the season in Japan's Nippon Baseball League, according to a report from the Yakyu Cosmopolitan.

Yakult Swallows OF Domingo Santana will likely miss the rest of the season with bone spurs in his right elbow.

Santana, 33, has been out since June 21 after being hit by a pitch. He’s in the first year of a three-year contract extension.

Yakult Swallows OF Domingo Santana will likely miss the rest of the season with bone spurs in his right elbow.

Santana, 33, has been out since June 21 after being hit by a pitch. He’s in the first year of a three-year contract extension.https://t.co/5XH119S0N6
— Yakyu Cosmopolitan (@yakyucosmo) August 4, 2025

Santana, who spent seven seasons in the big leagues with the Milwaukee Brewers, Houston Astros, Mariners and Cleveland Guardians had a short but impactful time with the M's organization, spending 121 games with the franchise in 2019.

The 2019 season was the year that the Mariners began their rebuild, having traded away James Paxton, Jean Segura, Robinson Cano and Edwin Diaz prior to the campaign. It was those deals that netted them J.P. Crawford, Jarred Kelenic and Mitch Haniger. The Mariners also acquired the likes of Jay Bruce and Edwin Encarnacion heading into that season, who they traded later in that campaign.

Santana hit .253 for the Mariners with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs, also stealing eight bases. He posted a .329 on-base percentage and was a solid contributor in the outfield. The Mariners did not re-sign him after 2019 and he latched on with Clevfeland for the COVID 2020 season, hitting just .157.

Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

He's been in Japan since 2021, playing for Yakult Swallows. He had 19 home runs in 2021, 15 in 2022, 18 in 2023 and 17 in 2024. He was hitting .274 with three homers this year.

Other former Mariners playing internationally include Robinson Cano (Mexico), Mike Ford (Japan) and Guillermo Heredia (Korea).

This article first appeared on Seattle Mariners on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: