CLEVELAND: The Indians are reportedly picking up Carlos Santana’s $12 million club option for the 2017 season.
Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball was the first with the news.
Santana, 30, was at the end of a five-year, $21 million extension that included the club option for the upcoming season. He made $8.25 million, per Baseball Prospectus, in 2016.
Santana’s performance made this an easy decision for the Indians. This past season he hit .259 with a .366 on-base percentage, 34 home runs, 31 doubles, 87 RBI and 89 runs scored. Per FanGraphs, he gave the Indians a 3.7 WAR, the best season of his career, just beating the 3.6 he had in 2013.
His 2016 production, along with him not turning 31 until April, made his price tag of $12 million for a one-year commitment a solid value compared to the open market. Currently, he’d be the highest-paid Indians player during the upcoming season.
Another consideration is his fit with the 2017 Indians roster. Mike Napoli is a free agent and with his 2016 season likely warrants a multiyear deal, possibly out of the Indians’ price range. That makes Santana their lone option between first base and the designated hitter spot as the offseason begins.
Ryan Lewis can be reached at rlewis@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Indians blog at www.ohio.com/indians. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RyanLewisABJ and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/RyanLewisABJ.