Overview
- The Pirates designated Santana for assignment and he cleared waivers before choosing free agency, removing him from Pittsburgh’s 40‑man roster.
- All 29 other clubs passed on a waiver claim, a sign that Santana’s 2026 results and salary reduced his immediate appeal.
- Santana’s 2026 numbers were poor, with a 6.05 ERA, a 19.9% strikeout rate and an 11.3% walk rate that undercut his trade value.
- Because Santana has five or more years of service he could reject an outright assignment and keep his guaranteed pay while any new team would only owe the prorated league minimum during his time on their roster.
- Santana’s recent success with Pittsburgh in 2024–25 gives him a track record teams may bet on, but he is likely to draw low‑cost major‑league or minor‑league offers rather than high‑value claims, and Pittsburgh gains roster flexibility ahead of the trade deadline.