Dennis Anfernee Santana Sánchez (born April 12, 1996) is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees.

Dennis Santana
Santana with the Mets in 2023
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 60
Pitcher
Born: (1996-04-12) April 12, 1996 (age 28)
San Pedro de Macorís, Dominican Republic
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 1, 2018, for the Los Angeles Dodgers
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record11–15
Earned run average4.76
Strikeouts209
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Career

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Los Angeles Dodgers

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Santana signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent in March 2013. He made his professional debut in 2014 with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers and spent the whole season there, going 2–1 with a 1.05 ERA in twenty games. He pitched 2015 with the Arizona League Dodgers and Ogden Raptors, compiling a combined 2–5 record and 6.42 ERA in 13 games (11 starts), and 2016 with the Great Lakes Loons, posting a 5–9 record and 3.07 ERA with 124 strikeouts in 111.1 innings.[1] He was a Midwest League All-Star with the Loons in 2016.[2]

 
Santana with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in 2017

Santana started 2017 with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and was promoted to the Tulsa Drillers during the season.[3] With the two teams, he was 8–7 with a 4.11 ERA in 24 games (21 starts).[4] The Dodgers added him to the 40-man roster on November 20, 2017.[5] He began 2018 with Tulsa but was promoted to the Triple–A Oklahoma City Dodgers in May. In his debut for them, he struck out 11 in six scoreless innings,[6] for which he was named the Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week.[7]

Santana was called up to the majors by the Dodgers for the first time on May 30, 2018[8] and made his debut on June 1, picking up the win in relief, despite allowing five runs on six hits in 323 innings against the Colorado Rockies. He also hit a two-RBI double in his first major league at-bat.[9] He was scheduled to make his first major league start on June 7 against the Pittsburgh Pirates but suffered a right rotator cuff strain while warming up in the bullpen before the game and was placed on the disabled list, where he remained for the rest of the season.[10]

In 2019, he pitched five innings for the Dodgers, across three appearances, allowing four runs on six hits.[11] In 27 appearances for Oklahoma City (17 starts) he was 5–9 with a 6.94 ERA.[4]

Santana made 12 appearances for the Dodgers during the pandemic-shortened season of 2020, with a 1–2 record and 5.29 ERA.[11]

After struggling to a 6.00 ERA in 16 appearances to begin the 2021 season, Santana was designated for assignment on June 12, 2021.[12]

Texas Rangers

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On June 17, 2021, Santana was traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Kelvin Bautista and was assigned to the Triple-A Round Rock Express.[13] He appeared in 63 games for Texas, working to a 3–8 record and 5.22 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 58.2 innings pitched.

New York Mets

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On November 15, 2022, Santana was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.[14] On January 13, 2023, Santana signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the Braves, avoiding salary arbitration.[15] On February 26, 2023, Santana was claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins.[16]

On March 17, 2023, Santana was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets.[17] He made seven appearances for the Mets, struggling to a 7.04 ERA with five walks and 10 strikeouts in 7+23 innings pitched. On April 14, Santana was designated for assignment after Jimmy Yacabonis was added to the roster.[18] He cleared waivers and was sent outright to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets on April 18.[19] On May 14, Santana was selected back to the Mets' active roster.[20] After pitching a scoreless inning in a 3–2 loss against the Washington Nationals, Santana was designated for assignment the same day when Brooks Raley was activated from the injured list.[21] On August 16, Santana was selected back to the major league roster.[22] He was designated for assignment for the third time on August 19.[23] Santana elected free agency on August 22.[24]

New York Yankees

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On December 6, 2023, Santana signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees that included an invitation to spring training.[25] He began the season with the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders, and was promoted to the major leagues on April 5 when Jonathan Loáisiga was placed on the 60-day injured list.[26] In 23 appearances for the Yankees, he struggled to a 6.26 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 27+13 innings. The Yankees designated Santana for assignment on June 9.[27]

Pittsburgh Pirates

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On June 11, 2024, Santana was claimed off waivers by the Pittsburgh Pirates.[28]

References

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  1. ^ "Dennis Santana Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball". MiLB.com. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  2. ^ "Dodgers prospect Dennis Santana adds All-Star to list of changes". MLive.com. June 20, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2017.
  3. ^ "Dodgers' quartet of pitching prospects can bring the heat". April 20, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Dennis Santana Minor League Statistics & History". Baseball Reference.
  5. ^ Stephen, Eric (November 20, 2017). "Dennis Santana, Trevor Oaks added to Dodgers' 40-man roster". SB Nation. Retrieved November 20, 2017.
  6. ^ Minami, Craig (May 20, 2018). "Santana sparkles in AAA debut". SB Nation. Retrieved May 20, 2018.
  7. ^ "Tauchman, Santana tabbed week's best". milb.com. May 21, 2018. Retrieved May 22, 2018.
  8. ^ Stephen, Eric (May 30, 2018). "Kenta Maeda placed on disabled list with hip strain". SB Nation. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  9. ^ Stephen, Eric (June 1, 2018). "Dodgers outlast Rockies in slugfest at Coors". SB Nation. Retrieved June 1, 2018.
  10. ^ Stephen, Eric (June 8, 2018). "Dennis Santana placed on DL with a right rotator cuff strain". SB Nation. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  11. ^ a b "Dennis Santana Stats". Baseball Reference.
  12. ^ Kavner, Rowan (June 12, 2021). "Dodgers call up infielder Andy Burns". Dodgers.com. Retrieved June 12, 2021.
  13. ^ Associated Press (June 17, 2021). "Texas Rangers acquire Dennis Santana in trade with Los Angeles Dodgers, designate Hyeon-Jong Yang for assignment". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 18, 2021.
  14. ^ "Braves trade for Rangers' Santana, cut Stephens". November 16, 2022.
  15. ^ Bowman, Mark (January 13, 2023). "Fried, Braves likely heading to arb hearing". MLB.com. Retrieved January 14, 2023.
  16. ^ "Twins' Dennis Santana: Claimed by Twins". cbssports.com. February 26, 2023. Retrieved February 26, 2023.
  17. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Claimed by Mets". cbssports.com. March 17, 2023. Retrieved March 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Designated for assignment". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 15, 2023.
  19. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Sent outright to Triple-A". cbssports.com. Retrieved April 20, 2023.
  20. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Contract selected from Syracuse". cbssports.com. May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 14, 2023.
  21. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Pushed off 40-man roster". cbssports.com. May 14, 2023. Retrieved May 15, 2023.
  22. ^ "Mets' Dennis Santana: Back in big leagues". cbssports.com. Retrieved August 16, 2023.
  23. ^ "Mets Designate Dennis Santana, Select Adam Kolarek". yardbarker.com. August 19, 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  24. ^ "Dennis Santana: Heads to free agency". cbssports.com. Retrieved August 27, 2023.
  25. ^ "Yankees' Dennis Santana: Receives NRI from Yankees". cbssports.com. December 6, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2023.
  26. ^ "Jonathan Loáisiga injury: Yankees reliever to miss 2024 season with a torn UCL in pitching elbow". CBSSports.com. April 6, 2024.
  27. ^ Phillips, Gary (June 9, 2024). "Yankees designate Dennis Santana for assignment, recall Ron Marinaccio". New York Daily News.
  28. ^ "Pirates Claim Dennis Santana, Designate Jose Hernandez". mlbtraderumors.com. June 11, 2024. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
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