PITTSBURGH (AP) — Carlos Santana is heading to Milwaukee.
The NL Central-leading Brewers have acquired the veteran first baseman/designated hitter from the Pittsburgh Pirates in exchange for minor leaguer Jhonny Severino.
“We are thrilled to add Carlos,” Brewers president of baseball operations Matt Arnold said Thursday in a statement. “He is a switch-hitting power bat and quality defender. His veteran presence and winning attitude will also be a valuable addition to the clubhouse as we continue our push to the postseason.”
The 37-year-old Santana hit .235 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs in 94 games for the Pirates, who have faded to last place in the NL Central following a fast start.
The Brewers are hoping Santana can help boost an offense that is just 25th in runs scored, thanks in large part to a lack of production from the first base and designated hitter spots all season.
First baseman Rowdy Tellez is batting .213 with 12 homers – down from 35 last season – and has been on the injured list for the last three weeks. Tellez had 17 stitches removed this week from his left ring finger, which suffered a tuft fracture when it got stuck in the outfield wall while he was shagging fly balls in Cincinnati. Tellez already was on the injured list with right forearm inflammation when he hurt his finger.
The Brewers acquired Jesse Winker from Seattle this offseason with the intention of making him their main designated hitter, but he is batting .199 with only six extra-base hits (five doubles and one homer) in 197 plate appearances. Winker’s prolonged slump has caused his playing time to drop significantly.
Milwaukee's acquisition of Santana indicates the Brewers' intention to upgrade their roster this summer as an attempt to atone for last year’s fade.
The club owned a 57-45 record and a three-game lead in the NL Central race when the Brewers traded four-time All-Star closer Josh Hader to the San Diego Padres, a move that stunned the clubhouse as well as the fan base. The Brewers went 29-31 the rest of the way and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The Pirates signed Santana to a one-year deal in the offseason, hoping his veteran presence could provide stability to a young roster trying to learn to win. Pittsburgh got off to a 20-8 start, but has stumbled for most of the last three months.
Santana could be the first of several Pirates who could be on the move with a shot at the postseason unlikely. Pitcher Rich Hill, who like Santana signed a one-year deal in the offseason, could be attractive to a contender. The Pirates also have a pair of young All-Stars on the roster in closer David Bednar and pitcher Mitch Keller, both of whom are affordable and under team control, making them a potentially attractive target for teams in the thick of the playoff chase.
The 18-year-old Severino has played 12 games this season in the Brewers’ Rookie-level Arizona Complex League. He has batted .250 with a .289 on-base percentage, four homers, 10 RBIs and five steals while playing both shortstop and third base. The Brewers signed Severino out of the Dominican Republic last year.
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AP Sports Writer Steve Megargee in Milwaukee contributed to this report.
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