Gray 
Several are asking yourself why the Kansas City Royals are presently employing Carlos Santana.
The solution, in a vacuum, is very simple: $10.5 million.
Guaranteed, you will find some nuance associated (that will be mentioned momentarily) but for a smaller-market place group that is notorious for not paying out a ton on players, Santana’s 2022 wage will make up a major chunk of their payroll. The Royals have purpose — whether correct or completely wrong — to continue to keep enjoying him in an work to get the most out of their investment decision.
Sep 18, 2021 Kansas Metropolis, Missouri, United states Kansas City Royals to start with baseman Carlos Santana (41) hits a solitary versus the Seattle Mariners in the initially inning at Kauffman Stadium. Required Credit: Denny Medley-United states of america Currently Sporting activities
With that mentioned, Santana is an objectively sunk price tag at this position. The conclude of his Royals tenure should be approaching incredibly before long, and that stems from a couple of motives and opportunities. All of them get started with him, but they also involve other gamers and teams alike.
First, the straightforward simple fact exists that Santana is just not what he applied to be. He is hitting the ball tougher this season than he did final yr and he is even now going for walks pretty a little bit (as is his trademark), but the production isn’t really superior ample to warrant any constant play. In 31 games this season, the 36-calendar year-old is hitting .160 with a .264 SLG and a .104 ISO. For each FanGraphs, he is been well worth destructive .2 WAR, even with great on-base means intact.
The principal incentive the Royals have to continue on playing Santana is so he can quite possibly heat up, rebuild his value a bit and internet the club one thing in a trade. Which is sound logic, and Santana is hitting .219 in his past 8 game titles with a respectable wRC+ of 93. When extending the sample sizing out to 10 online games, on the other hand, these respective figures fall to .194 and 71. At 15 video games, they’re .200 and 78. At 20 video games, they are .197 and 82. No make a difference how you slice it, Santana hasn’t even been a league-normal hitter through his “hot” stretch of enjoy.
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Rebuilding trade value isn’t really pretty a moot place just but, but it is really finding shut. Except if Santana can catch hearth and appear like his early-2021 self for a couple of months in a row, no contender is heading to display any interest in him. The Royals likely know that but are as a substitute using the excuse of their prime first base prospective clients not currently being completely ready as a deal with for it. That sales opportunities to the other primary explanation why Santana’s times are possibly numbered.
At minimum a single of the two prospective buyers is ready.
Mar 27, 2022 Mesa, Arizona, United states of america Kansas Metropolis Royals specified hitter Vinnie Pasquantino (73) at bat in the 2nd inning in the course of a spring schooling sport in opposition to the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. Required Credit score: Allan Henry-United states Now Sporting activities
In 42 game titles with the Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers, Vinnie Pasquantino is slashing .296/.396/.638 with a wRC+ of 168. He’s projected to slash .264/.347/.467 the relaxation of the way this time. In his past 7 video games, he’s hitting .516 with 7 doubles and 4 residence runs.
There is just not anything at all left for Pasquantino to do at the small league level. He is a mature hitter, he will get on base a ton, he would not have considerably area for growth on protection or the basepaths and he is also 24 a long time outdated. The time is now for him to be logging big-league innings, and Santana is in his way.
Nick Pratto is also placing up pretty darn very good quantities in Omaha. Even with hitting just .227 on the year, Pratto’s elite wander price (16.5%) has his OBP sitting down at a tidy .367. He also possesses some of the ideal raw ability in all of Minimal League Baseball, and his 125 wRC+ is more than respectable.
There is a really serious ingredient of swing-and-skip to Pratto’s activity, having said that, which does present a motive for him to keep on creating in Triple-A. However, it’s challenging to consider him not doing at least a bit far better than Santana at present is with the Royals. If he acquired promoted soon, his highs would be worth the lows. Either way, the level stays that Kansas Metropolis has an individual all set to roll.
Mar 27, 2022 Mesa, Arizona, Usa Kansas Metropolis Royals infielder Nick Pratto (32) at bat in the 3rd inning in the course of a spring instruction match towards the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. Required Credit score: Allan Henry-United states Now Sports
Until Santana is a person of the best hitters in baseball for the upcoming several months, it will make quite small perception for the Royals to continue on playing him. The odds of that taking place are so reduced that it nearly would seem like a pipe desire to give him that prospect in the first place. Regardless of whether the finish desired destination of the Santana practice is currently being designated for assignment or currently being shipped out of Kansas City via trade, the timeline likely stays the very same: it is really almost certainly achieving that place shortly.
