Pirates trade 1st baseman Carlos Santana to Milwaukee for 18-year-old prospect

If it remained a question whether the Pittsburgh Pirates would be buyers or sellers ahead of the Aug. 1 trade deadline, general manager Ben Cherington provided an answer Thursday afternoon.

With time to spare before the deadline, Cherington shipped switch-hitting first baseman Carlos Santana to division rival Milwaukee, the organization announced.

In exchange, the Pirates are set to receive 18-year-old infielder prospect Jhonny Severino.

The Pirates (45-57) are in last place in the NL Central and 10 games out of a wild-card spot entering a three-game series with the Phillies on Friday at PNC Park.

Santana, 37, signed a one-year, $6.725 million deal with the Pirates this past offseason.

Through 94 games, Santana is hitting .235 with 12 home runs and 53 RBIs.

He was particularly hot offensively during the Pirates’ recent six-game road trip, as he went 7 for 23 (.304) with three doubles and three home runs against the Los Angeles Angels and San Diego Padres.

Defensively, Santana proved to be a significant upgrade at first base compared to the rotating door of players the Pirates deployed at the position in 2022.

Santana logged 721 1/3 innings in 85 games at first base this year, posting a fielding percentage of .994.

Per Fielding Bible, Santana’s six defensive runs saved led all MLB first basemen.

Santana also was a mentor in the clubhouse to the Pirates’ contingent of Latin players.

He joins a Brewers squad that sits atop the NL Central with a 1.5-game lead over Cincinnati, as of Thursday afternoon.

Severino, a native of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, was an international signing by Milwaukee in 2022 for $1.23 million.

MLB Pipeline ranked him as the No. 21 prospect in the 2022 international class.

The @Pirates have acquired SS Jhonny Severino from the @Brewers in exchange for 1B Carlos Santana. Severino was an international signing by the Brewers in 2022 for $1.23 mil. He's currently in the ACL, hitting .250/.288/.871 w/ 4 HRs and 5 SBs#LetsGoBucspic.twitter.com/09EwOLlF1a

— Pittsburgh Pirates Player Development Report (@PGHplayerDev) July 27, 2023

He has played in 12 Arizona Complex League games with the Brewers farm system this year, compiling a .250 batting average with four home runs and 10 RBIs, as well as a .872 OPS.

The 6-foot-1, 185-pound shortstop/third baseman is a switch hitter and throws right-handed.

Last year, in 48 Dominican Summer League games, Severino hit .268 with three homers and 25 RBIs.

While Santana’s departure is the first for the Pirates as the trade deadline nears, it might not be be the last.

The New York Post’s Jon Heyman tweeted Thursday that the Pirates are receiving interest in four pitchers: starters Rich Hill and Mitch Keller plus relievers Colin Holderman and David Bednar.

Pirates are getting a lot of hits on Hill, Bednar, Keller and Holderman

— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) July 27, 2023

Keller (9-6, 4.01 ERA) earned his first All-Star appearance earlier in July and already has posted a career high in wins.

But a 7.04 ERA over four starts in July has ballooned the 27-year-old’s ERA.

Hill (7-10, 4.82 ERA), a veteran offseason acquisition like Santana, is on a one-year deal.

As for Holderman, despite a bumpy month of June, he will be of interest to contenders because of his five years of team control remaining, in addition to an effective sinker-sweeper-cutter repertoire that’s elevated him to one of the Pirates’ top relievers this year.

Over 36 appearances, Holderman is 0-2 with a 3.71 ERA. His 15 holds are most among Pirates pitchers.

Of all Cherington’s potential movable pieces, perhaps none would come with the public relations nightmare than a trade of Bednar, a Mars native and fan and clubhouse favorite.

The two-time All-Star is 3-1 with a 1.35 ERA. His 20 saves rank 11th in baseball.

The 28-year-old will not be a free agent until 2027.