On Wednesday, the Cleveland Guardians designated Carlos Santana for assignment in a move that impacted Cleveland’s roster in a variety of ways.
First off, it ended the tenure for one of the most well-regarded players in franchise history while also signaling the team may have made the wrong decision offering him a contract this year in the first place.
But it also signaled that the team is ready to give the keys at first base to Kyle Manzardo. While Manzardo’s strong run of play has been evident all season, the Guardians’ decision to part ways with Santana is the strongest example of the team publicly supporting him.