The 26-year-old Santos returns to the club with which he made his Major League debut in 2021. While he originally signed with the Red Sox as a teenager in 2016, Santos was moved to the Giants organization a year later as part of the team’s return as an infielder. Eduardo Nuñez. Santos spent more than four seasons in the Giants system before making brief appearances in the majors in both 2021 and 2022. He ultimately threw just 5 2/3 innings as a Giant before being traded again – this time to the White Sox in exchange for minor league righty Kade McClure.
Santos was a key late-inning arm for the Sox in 2023, totaling 66 1/3 career innings with a 3.39 earned run average, five saves and six holds. He fanned a whopping 22.8% of his opponents, walked just 5.9% of the batters he faced, and kept a whopping 52.8% of his opponents’ batted balls on the ground – all while averaging 93 miles per hour on his sinker.
Santos spent just one season with the South Siders, who sold big and transferred him to the Mariners in exchange for a pair of prospects (outfielder Zach DeLoach and right Prelander Berroa) and a Competitive Balance draft pick (used to select high school left tackle Blake Larson). Santos spent parts of two seasons with the Mariners, but only managed 14 1/3 innings in the majors as injuries repeatedly kept him on the shelf for extended periods. A significant strain, biceps inflammation and knee surgery combined to just 26 2/3 total innings — majors and minors combined — during his two seasons with the M’s, who non-tendered Santos last month.
If Santos returns to full health this spring, he’ll be a good flyer with some upside to add to the bullpen competition. He doesn’t turn 27 until August and still ran 98 mph with his sinker this past season, even amid the lingering injuries. Santos doesn’t lack plus-level bats as you might expect from someone with his blazing speed, but he has shown the ability to limit walks and hit grounders at a high clip. If he is ever added to the big league roster, Santos still has a minor league option remaining and is under club control via arbitration for at least three more seasons.
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