Cubs Sign Carlos Santana and Add Aaron Civale Off Waivers

The Chicago Cubs are making headlines by signing veteran first baseman Carlos Santana just days after his release from the Cleveland Guardians. In addition, they have officially added pitcher Aaron Civale, who was placed on waivers by the Chicago White Sox.

Carlos Santana’s Season Overview

At 39 years old, Santana has had a challenging season with the Guardians, posting a .215/.316/.333 slash line along with 10 doubles, 11 home runs, and 52 RBIs across 455 plate appearances. His playing time diminished in August as the Guardians shifted focus to younger players like Kyle Manzardo and rookie C.J. Kayfus. Over the last month, Santana struggled further, batting just .186 with a .503 OPS.

Cubs’ First Base Situation

The decision to sign Santana may raise eyebrows, given that the Cubs have been getting solid production from Michael Busch, who is currently batting .264 with 26 home runs and 76 RBIs. Santana is expected to take over at first base against left-handed pitchers, as Busch has struggled against them, hitting only .195.

As a switch-hitter, Santana brings a different dynamic, having recorded a .235 average as a right-handed hitter against lefties. This move could impact Justin Turner, who has been playing first base against lefties and has better overall numbers against them.

Aaron Civale Joins the Rotation

The Cubs have also secured pitcher Aaron Civale, who had a 5.37 ERA and a 2-7 record in 13 starts for the White Sox this season. Civale, 30, has a career ERA of 4.18 and has never pitched in relief, making all 135 of his MLB appearances as a starter. His addition may provide depth as the Cubs navigate injuries to Jameson Taillon and Michael Soroka.

Additional Roster Moves

Porter Hodge has been called up from Triple-A Iowa, where he averaged 14.5 strikeouts per nine innings. In a previous stint with the Cubs this season, he recorded 25 strikeouts in 23 2/3 innings.

Current Standing

The Cubs, holding a record of 78-58, entered Sunday trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by six games in the NL Central but currently occupy the league’s top wild-card playoff spot. Both Santana and Civale need to be on the roster by September 1 to be eligible for postseason play.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.