Still Smooth

 

Carlos Santana has hit 322 home runs in 15 seasons. I think a lot of people forget that.

Obviously the one they call Slamtana isn't exactly gonna be in much consideration for the Hall of Fame in six or seven years, but he's played in a World Series, started an All-Star Game, has four 25+ homer seasons, and is one of the rare players to actually improve defensively as his career goes on. Moving him from catcher to first was a wise move by Cleveland, as it lengthened Santana's career and allowed him to blossom into a routinely-above-average 1st baseman with power perks. Santana rarely got hurt, is perhaps responsible for two down years in his whole career, and is still playing, and hitting home runs, at 38. 

In an era of baseball where everyone's coming up at 25 and actually starting consistently at 27, then getting hurt for consecutive seasons, that's all too rare. Not many hitters are as consistent and reliable as Santana, which is wild, because Santana is a professional power hitter. Those are known for wear and tear. Yet here Santana is in Minnesota, with a .751 OPS [his highest since 2019], 63 RBIs and 21 homers. He's close to notching his fifth career 25+ homer year, and he's doing it with a team that, at most, was expecting him to be a DH piece this year. But y'know, Kirilloff got hurt, Larnach is best at DH, Santana's still decent on defense, so sure let's...have 38-year old Carlos Santana be our everyday first baseman. And SOMEHOW...this has worked really well for them! I'm amazed!

I think I just find it interesting that this is a moment where Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Max Kepler, the three most integral hitters on the team arguably, are all hurt, the playoff race is coming down to just a few games, and the Twins are desperately hanging onto the last playoff spot, and a lot of the load is falling on Carlos Santana's shoulders, and it's working out. And that's why this Twins team is so good this year, because in the absence of those guys, people like Jose Miranda, Matt Wallner, Ryan Jeffers, Trevor Larnach and Willi Castro are coming to the rescue and keeping the team together. Pablo Lopez has had a wonderful month, and he's now 15-8 with a 3.88 ERA and 183 Ks, another excellent season for the hurler. Griffin Jax is putting together one of the top relief seasons of the year, with a 2.01 ERA in 65 appearances. 

The depth going on in this Twins team, which was not always this good, is keeping them a contender. And there's also the threat that these guys who are hurt now will be back for a playoff run, if one happens. This is a very different kind of Twins team than the previous ones to advance to the postseason, even from last season. And hopefully they can surprise some people again this year.

Coming Tonight: And to think, if Brandon Williamson had been ready just a week earlier, we wouldn't have been able to see this guy succeed at the MLB level this year.