Cleveland picked up its $12 million club option on slugger Carlos Santana on Friday after its crushing defeat in Game 7 of the World Series at the hands of the Chicago Cubs, the team announced.
Jon Heyman of Today’s Knuckleball first reported the news on Thursday.
Santana, 30, had another fantastic season for Cleveland in 2016, hitting .259 with 34 home runs, 87 RBI and a .865 OPS—the fourth time in the past six seasons he’s hit at least 20 homers and his sixth straight season with at least 74 RBI.
The switch-hitting Santana was certainly more effective from the left side of the plate, where he hit 30 home runs and knocked in 68 RBI.
He also helped form the core of Cleveland’s dangerous lineup that reached the World Series this season, combining with Francisco Lindor, Jason Kipnis, Mike Napoli and Jose Ramirez to give the Tribe a dangerous collection of boppers.
Keeping those players together—along with ace Corey Kluber and bullpen extraordinaire Andrew Miller—makes Cleveland a threat to reach the postseason again in 2017. And indeed, if Santana continues to hit for power, the Tribe will be tough to unseat in the AL Central.
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