Santana isn't starting Saturday against the Rockies.
Santana returned from the injured list for Friday's series opener in Colorado and went 0-for-3 with a run, two walks and a strikeout. Ryan O'Hearn will start at first base and bat cleanup Saturday.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Back from injured list
Rotowire
Santana (ankle) was activated from the 10-day injured list and will bat cleanup as the designated hitter Friday in Colorado.
The veteran slugger landed on the shelf with right ankle bursitis May 3 and will return after being sidelined for the 10-day minimum. Santana struggled this season prior to the injury with a .159/.312/.254 slash line through 19 games.
Santana was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Cardinals for undisclosed reasons.
Santana was initially penciled in to start at first base and bat cleanup, but he was absent from the revised lineup the Royals released closer to first pitch. Ryan O'Hearn will step into the starting nine in Santana's place.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Placed on 10-day IL
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Santana was placed on the 10-day injured list with right ankle bursitis Wednesday, retroactive to May 3.
Santana was slated to miss a second consecutive game Wednesday after being scratched from Tuesday's lineup, and he'll get additional time to recover since he's dealing with some inflammation. Hunter Dozier and Ryan O'Hearn should see increased playing time at first base, while Emmanuel Rivera was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Not in Wednesday's lineup
Rotowire
Santana (ankle) isn't starting Wednesday against the Cardinals, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
The 36-year-old was scratched from Tuesday's lineup due to right ankle soreness, and he'll be excluded from the starting nine for a second straight game. It's not yet clear whether Santana will be available off the bench, but Ryan O'Hearn will start at first base and bat fourth.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Managing ankle soreness
Rotowire
Santana was scratched from Tuesday's lineup versus the Cardinals due to right ankle soreness, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
Santana was a late scratch from Tuesday's lineup for previously undisclosed reasons, and it's unclear when exactly he picked up the ankle injury. The veteran slugger should be considered day-to-day, and he could sit out again Wednesday since the Royals have a scheduled off day to follow Thursday.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Draws three walks
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Santana went 0-for-2 with three walks and a run scored in Thursday's 5-2 extra-inning win over the White Sox.
One of Santana's walks came in the Royals' three-run 10th inning. The first baseman's bat is cold to start the season with a .106 batting average, but he's partially offset that by posting a 22.6 percent walk rate through 15 games. He's added a home run, five RBI, six runs scored and a double in 62 plate appearances while regularly hitting in the middle of the order.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Cranks first long ball
Rotowire
Santana went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, two walks and an additional run in a 13-7 loss to the Mariners on Saturday.
Santana walked in the first and fifth innings, scoring following the latter, and launched a two-run homer during a seventh-inning rally to tie the game. This was almost a necessary performance for Santana, who still draws walks but was just 2-for-32 on the season prior to Saturday's game. He'll need to string together a few more quality performances before he can be seen as an a potential option.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Back in action
Rotowire
Sanatana (undisclosed) is back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Twins, batting fifth and playing first base, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
Santana missed the last two games after being scratched from Tuesday's lineup. His absence may have been primarily due to Salvador Perez's eye issue, however, which prevented him from catching but didn't keep him from serving as the designated hitter. Perez will catch again Thursday, freeing up the designated hitter spot for Hunter Dozier and the first base spot for Santana.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Out again Wednesday
Rotowire
Santana (undisclosed) remains out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
The Royals made Santana a late scratch from the lineup ahead of Tuesday's 4-3 win, but an explanation for his removal from the starting nine wasn't immediately provided. Until more information behind the nature of his absence is available, Santana can be viewed as day-to-day. Hunter Dozier will pick up another start at first base in Santana's stead.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Scratched from lineup
Rotowire
Santana was scratched from the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Twins for undisclosed reasons, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
Hunter Dozier will move to first base, with Salvador Perez serving as the designated hitter and Cam Gallagher entering the lineup behind the plate. Santana has struggled to an .077/.226/.115 line through eight games despite posting a 9.7 percent strikeout rate.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Little production out of No. 5 spot
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Santana will start at first base and bat fifth in Thursday's game against the Tigers.
Santana has batted out of the No. 5 spot in each of the Royals' games to date, but hitting directly beyond four-time Silver Slugger winner Salvador Perez has yet to bear fruit for the veteran. Through 19 plate appearances, Santana has produced one hit (a double) and has drawn three walks. On a positive note, Santana has struck out just once, so he hasn't looked completely lost at the plate. Expect his average to climb once his .067 BABIP normalizes.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: In good form
Rotowire
Santana has gone 10-for-26 with two doubles, six RBI and three runs scored through nine Cactus League games.
Santana's always been a bit questionable from a batting average standpoint -- he's only hit at or above .260 in three of his 12 major-league campaigns. He's usually more solid with plate discipline, but he faltered there in 2021 as well with career-low marks in walk rate (13.2 percent) and on-base percentage (.319) in 158 games. He added 19 home runs, 69 RBI, 66 runs scored and a pair of stolen bases. He'll turn 36 a day after Opening Day, so it's tough to bet on a bounce-back campaign here. If Santana declines further, Hunter Dozier, Ryan O'Hearn or prospect Nick Pratto could get a longer look at first base.
Royals' Carlos Santana: Three hits in season finale
Rotowire
Santana went 3-for-4 with an RBI in Sunday's 7-3 loss to Minnesota.
While the first baseman could be counted on for solid on-base abilities in the first half of the season, he slumped badly after the All-Star break. In the end, Santana posted a .214/.319/.342 slash line, leading to a career-low .660 OPS in 158 games. Outside of a resurgent 2019, Santana's been on a noticeable downward slide since 2016. He's still under contract for 2022, but top prospect Nick Pratto could force Kansas City's hand in spring training after batting .266 across 123 games between Double-A and Triple-A.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Sitting Thursday
Rotowire
Santana is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Athletics.
It's been a disappointing season for the veteran first baseman, who's hit just .219/.322/.359 in 142 games. He's still playing regularly at this point, having started 15 straight games prior to Thursday's day off, but it's possible the Royals elect to turn to younger options more frequently down the stretch. Ryan O'Hearn will be the first baseman Thursday.
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Royals' Carlos Santana: Slugs 19th homer
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Santana went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 7-3 loss to the Orioles.
He took Alexander Wells deep in the fourth inning, but the Royals were already in a 6-1 hole at that point. Santana is now one homer shy of his eighth season with 20 or more, but his .703 OPS (on a .225/.329/.374 slash line) would be the worst mark of his career over a full schedule.
