CHICAGO — Carlos Santana was contacted by a couple teams after he was released by Cleveland last week. Once he heard from Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell, he knew what he wanted to do.
“The day before I come here, he called me and said ‘Hey, I need you here,’” Santana said. “I say ‘Oh, yes,’ I don’t think twice.”
Santana joined Chicago on Monday after signing a one-year contract. The Cubs also added Aaron Civale to their roster one day after they claimed the veteran right-hander off waivers from the White Sox.
Outfielder Kevin Alcántara was recalled from Triple-A Iowa, and outfielder Owen Caissie was sent down. With Pete Crow-Armstrong slumping at the plate, Alcántara could be used in center field against left-handed pitching.
Santana joined the contending Cubs in time to be eligible for the team’s playoff roster. The MLB deadline used to be midnight ET at end of Aug. 31, but it was changed in the offseason to noon ET on Sept. 1. Active major league rosters also expanded from 26 to 28 players on Monday.
“We just think adding kind of some veteran players to strengthen, fortify, offer some insurance to the roster is really what we’re looking for,” Counsell said before Chicago’s game against Atlanta. “Not anticipating, frankly, big roles, but should things happen, then their roles could expand.”
The 39-year-old Santana was let go by the Guardians on Thursday, ending his third stint with the franchise.
Chicago has Michael Busch at first base, and Seiya Suzuki is the team’s primary designated hitter. But the addition of Santana puts an experienced switch hitter on Counsell’s bench.
Santana batted .225 with 11 homers and 52 RBIs in 116 games with the Guardians after signing a one-year, $12 million contract in December. The former Silver Slugger and Gold Glove winner is the majors’ active leader with 1,330 career walks.
Santana played for Counsell at the end of the 2023 season, after he was traded from Pittsburgh to Milwaukee.
“I come to here for hope, for making championship,” Santana said. “Before I retire, I want to make a champion. … I’m open for any situation that (Counsell) needs me.”
Santana has appeared in 30 playoff games, batting .205 with five homers and 13 RBIs. He made it to the 2016 World Series with Cleveland, losing to the Cubs in seven games.
“I think he’s at a stage of his career where he’s interested in one thing, just being a part of fun, being a part of winning,” Counsell said. “And he’s earned a great reputation in the game, and it’s always good adding people like that.”
Civale is 3-9 with a 5.26 ERA in 18 starts this year. He was traded from the Brewers to the White Sox for first baseman Andrew Vaughn on June 13.
The Cubs plan to use Civale in a bulk role out of the bullpen, keeping him stretched out in case he is needed in the rotation at some point.
“Not a lot of pitching went on the waiver wire in August,” president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “But Civale is a guy that we had talked about at the (trade) deadline also. He was having a solid year as a starter there and pitching well.”
The 30-year-old Civale is 42-44 with a 4.18 ERA in 135 career starts, also playing for Cleveland and Tampa Bay. He was moved to the bullpen by the Brewers, but he said he wanted to continue to start — leading to the trade to the last-place White Sox.
“It’s a good opportunity,” Civale said of joining the Cubs. “Just doing my best to take advantage of it and trying to come in here and help the team.”
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