The Cleveland Indians parting with first baseman Carlos Santana isn’t shocking news.
If you’re a long-seasoned Tribe fan, you likely read that sentence and immediately blamed team ownership. The Indians’ notoriously penny-pinching ways made it impossible to believe Santana’s $17.5 million option for 2021 was being picked up this winter. Equally far-fetched was the idea of Cleveland signing him to a new contract, despite the fact his new two-year, $17.5 million deal with Kansas City isn’t terribly expensive.
However, there’s another angle to consider. The Indians’ decision to part with Santana may have been about more than just his price tag.