Carlos Santana's return to Seattle with Pirates stirs good memories

The Pittsburgh Pirates’ winning record will be in jeopardy during the team’s six-game road trip that began Friday in Seattle before turning south to San Francisco for the Memorial Day holiday.

The Pirates have won more games than they’ve lost since defeating the Boston Red Sox in Fenway Park on April 4, but a 20-8 start has been reduced to 25-24.

Perhaps 37-year-old first baseman Carlos Santana’s return to Seattle will help. His veteran presence in the locker room, glove in the infield and reliability helped the Pirates during their early-season surge.

Santana was traded to Seattle last year by the Kansas City Royals on June 27, and the transaction worked out well — for player and team.

Santana hit 15 home runs and contributed 39 RBIs in 79 games, helping the Mariners finish 90-72 and reach the postseason for the first time since 2001. The Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League wild-card series before being eliminated by the Houston Astros in the division series. Santana was 5 for 22 in five postseason games with two doubles, a home run and three RBIs.

“It’s a lot of memories,” he said. “I’m very excited to go there and see my ex-teammates and say, ‘Hi.’ We’ll see what’s going on, but I think there is a lot of emotion there.”

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The trade was one of necessity for the Mariners, who were 34-40 at the time and had recently put Ty France, one of the game’s top hitters, on the injured list. France didn’t miss much time and ended up with 20 home runs for the season, but Santana was a boost to the offense. He hit .192 and recorded an OPS of only .693, but with 15 home runs and eight doubles, nearly half of his hits went for extra bases.

“I had a great experience there,” he said.

But his time in Seattle was cut short when the Mariners decided not to bring him back for the 2023 season. The Mariners opted to use France, 28, at first base, limiting Santana’s options in Seattle.

Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto couldn’t find room for a first baseman/designated hitter who had been in the majors since 2010.

“Carlos is an awesome leader and wonderful guy, but it would have to be the right mix for us and the right players on the roster,” Dipoto told the Seattle Times at the end of last season.

“There are only so many ways you can rotate. Ty France is our first baseman. Carlos did a very nice job of filling in at first base when Ty was not there.

“While I wouldn’t commit to anything, we would love to find a way to bring Carlos back. But in order for Carlos to be back, somebody else would not be here and that remains to be seen. Not all of them can come back.”

Santana would have welcomed a return to Seattle, but he said, “(In Pittsburgh), I’m happy, too.”

With the Pirates, he has been a nearly permanent member of the lineup, starting 41 of 49 games at first base, plus five as designated hitter. Ji Man Choi’s injury has forced Santana to play more often than might have been expected at the outset of the season.

Perhaps Santana can be part of the Pirates’ quest to add more runs. In their past six defeats, they have scored only nine times.

Santana started strong this season, but his average dipped to .235. He hit his third home run in the fourth inning Friday, his first homer since the home opener April 7. His most recent multi-hit game was May 4.

“I keep fighting every at-bat, every inning,” he said.

Even at the age of 37, Santana keeps himself in shape, enjoys the workload and wants to play beyond this season, perhaps to 40.

“I hope. We’ll see. I don’t know (when I’ll stop playing), when the guy tells me,” he said, with a laugh.