CLEVELAND, Ohio — Carlos Santana entered play Sunday having reached base safely in 13 straight games since Game 1 of a doubleheader against Boston on April 26. The 16-year major league veteran was hitting .293 with a pair of home runs, 12 RBI and an .878 OPS in that stretch.
The Dominican slugger has been a consistent presence in the middle of the Guardians’ lineup all season, and he continues to add to a long list of individual milestones as he helps drive Cleveland’s offense.
- Santana has driven in a run in four straight games, one shy of the team high this season (Kyle Manzardo, five games). He has driven in a run in five consecutive games three times in his career, most recently from April 25-29 last season with Minnesota.
- He needs three more walks in order to become the second player in franchise history with at least 900. Hall of Famer Jim Thome is the club leader with 1,008.
- Santana is the major league active leader with 1,294 free passes in his career. He is six walks away from becoming the seventh switch-hitter in MLB history with at least 1,300 career bases on balls.
- Santana’s sacrifice fly in the ninth inning Saturday marked his 1,100th career-RBI, making him the sixth active player, and only switch-hitter. He joined Giancarlo Stanton, Andrew McCutchen, Nolan Arenado, Paul Goldschmidt and Freddie Freeman.
Young hitters in Cleveland’s lineup, including shortstop Gabriel Arias, know to take their cues from Santana when it comes to how he prepares for every at-bat.
“It’s really important having that veteran presence in the middle of the lineup,” Arias said via Guardians interpreter Agustin Rivero. “Not only his results, but the approach he takes. I think it sets the tone, not only for him but everybody in the lineup.”
Pink bats alive
Since 2000, the Guardians are 11-11 on Mother’s Day. But since 2013 they have won 10 straight. That stretch includes no games played on Mother’s Day in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and 2021 when the scheduled game was postponed due to snow.
Special K
Luis Ortiz likes pitching at the corner of Carnegie and Ontario. Through his first three starts at Progressive Field this season, Ortiz piled up 23 strikeouts, tied for the fourth most through three home starts in franchise history. That trailed only Danny Salazar (25) in 2013, Chuck Finley (26) in 2000 and Herb Score (32) in 1955.
Among American League pitchers with at least three home starts, Ortiz (12.67 strikeouts per nine) trails only Detroit’s Jack Flaherty (13.05) and Kansas City’s Cole Ragans (13.88).
