PITTSBURGH — It’s awfully tough at this point to accuse the Pirates of ignoring first base, a disastrously deficient position for them in 2022. What they did Friday also makes a ton of sense from a team identity and leadership standpoint.
By signing Carlos Santana to a one-year free agent deal worth $6.725 million (pending a physical), the Pirates acquired a player with plenty of pop who’s also known for his patient approach at the plate and ability to embrace and handle a mentorship role in the clubhouse.
The latter is something an up-and-coming Mariners team sought from Santana when they traded for him last season, and it’s been the rub on Santana through the 36-year-old’s big league career.
