Kansas City Royals Trade Carlos Santana to Seattle Mariners

Carlos Santana is headed west…

The Kansas City Royals have traded the 36-year-old Dominican-American professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman, nicknamed “Slamtana,” and nearly $4.3 million to the Seattle Mariners for right-handers Wyatt Mills and William Fleming, clearing the way for Kansas City to bring up hot prospect Vinnie Pasquantino.

Carlos SantanaPasquantino was not in the starting lineup against the Texas Rangers on Monday night because of tight travel schedules, but Royals general manager J.J. Picollo and manager Mike Matheny expect his big bat to be in the lineup regularly.

“When I was growing up, I had a dream of playing professional baseball. But I just enjoy playing the game,” said Pasquantino, who was doing his laundry when he learned of his big league call-up. “I still do now, and I’m going to continue to try to do that as we move forward. I just love playing the game.”

The Royals optioned Mills, a 27-year-old relief pitcher, to Triple-A Omaha while designating right-hander Ronald Bolanos for assignment. Fleming, a 23-year-old with starting potential, was assigned to Class-A Quad Cities.

This is the second time Santana has been with Seattle, though the first lasted a mere 10 days. He was acquired along with J.P. Crawford from the Philadelphia Phillies for infielder Jean Segura, right-hander Juan Nicasio, and left-hander James Pazos on December 3, 2018; the Mariners then traded him away as part of a three-team deal with Cleveland and the Tampa Bay Rays.

This time should be different for Santana, who hit 19 homers in 158 games for Kansas City last season but was hitting just .216 with four homers through 52 games this season.

The Mariners were in search of a switch-hitter and an option at first base with leading hitter Ty France on the injured list with an elbow injury.

Santana has been better at the plate over the past month, hitting .357 with a 1.032 OPS in June.

The Mariners will pay $1.5 million of the remainder of Santana’s salary in the second year of a two-year, $17.5 million deal.

With the Royals last in the AL Central at 26-45 heading into their Monday night game against Texas, and Santana nearing the end of his contract, it was prudent for Kansas City to clear the way for Pasquantino to begin his big league career.

The 24-year-old was picked in the 11th round of the 2019 first-year player draft out of Old Dominion and was generally one of the Royals’ overlooked prospects until the past couple of seasons. Dubbed the “Italian Nightmare” by Hall of Famer George Brett in spring training, Pasquantino was hitting .280 with 18 homers this season at Omaha, and he was among the Triple-A leaders in extra-base hits, runs, homers and slugging percentage.

“I’m excited to be in the clubhouse every day and see what everybody’s about,” said Pasquantino, who joins top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. and catcher MJ Melendez among a wave of rookie position players in Kansas City.

“I’m coming into a clubhouse with some established veterans and I’m excited to learn from those guys,” he said.

Mills had a 4.15 ERA in eight appearances for Seattle this season, along with going 1-0 with a 1.83 ERA in 19⅔ innings for Triple-A Tacoma. Fleming was picked in the 11th round of last year’s first-year player draft out of Wake Forest and was 6-6 with a 4.92 ERA in 14 starts for Class-A Modesto this season.

Bolanos had a 4.42 ERA in eight appearances for Kansas City this season.

Jean Segura Traded to the Philadelphia Phillies

Jean Segura is headed to The City of Brotherly Love

The Philadelphia Phillies have acquired the 28-year-old Dominican Major League Baseball infielder and MLB All-Star from the Seattle Mariners.

Jean Segura

The deal involves multiple players and required Segura to waive his no-trade clause to join Philadelphia.

First baseman Carlos Santana and shortstop J.P. Crawford were among the players headed to Seattle, while relievers Juan Nicasio and James Pazos head to Philadelphia in the deal.

Segura batted .304 with 10 home runs, 91 runs and 63 RBIs in 144 games last season and was named an American League All-Star.

In June 2017, Segura agreed to a five-year, $70 million contract with the Mariners spanning 2018 to 2022. The deal has a $17 million option for 2023, with a $1 million buyout.

Segura was the centerpiece of one of Seattle’s biggest moves after the 2016 season, when he was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks as part of a five-player trade.

He will become the latest high-profile player traded away by the Mariners, who are tearing down their roster in an effort to rebuild the team.

Santana, the 32-year-old Dominican baseball first baseman, signed a three-year, $60 million contract with the Phillies last offseason and has a base salary of $17 million in 2019 and $17.5 million in 2020. His contract has a club option for the 2021 season worth $17.5 million with a $500,000 buyout.

He hit .229 with 24 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2018.

Nicasio, a 32-year-old Dominican right-hander, was 1-6 with a 6.00 ERA and one save in 42 relief innings in 2018. He pitched for the Phillies briefly in 2017 after they claimed him off waivers from the Pittsburgh Pirates and later traded him to the St. Louis Cardinals.

With Santana traded, Rhys Hoskins will return to first base for the Phillies after playing in left field last season.