Dennis Santana

Dennis Santana

28-Year-Old PitcherRP
Pittsburgh Pirates
2025 Fantasy Outlook
Santana received a NRI from the Yankees last offseason, and while he didn't break camp with New York, he impressed during spring training and was recalled in early April. He spent two months in the Bronx, struggling to a 6.26 ERA and 1.35 WHIP across 27.1 innings before he was DFA'd. The 28-year-old righty was claimed by Pittsburgh a few days later and changed his approach, throwing fewer sinkers (.279 BAA, .395 SLG) in favor of more fastballs (.196 BAA, .268 SLG). Santana was much better with the Pirates, even making 21 consecutive appearances without permitting an earned run. He finished the campaign with career-highs in innings pitched (71.2) and WHIP (1.09), the latter being a notable improvement over his 1.32 mark for his career. Santana should open 2025 as one of Pittsburgh's highest-leverage relievers, which may include save chances if David Bednar does not reclaim the closer role. Read Past Outlooks
$Signed a one-year contract with the Yankees in December of 2023. Waived by the Yankees in June of 2024. Claimed off waivers by the Pirates in June of 2024.
Records save Monday
PPittsburgh Pirates
September 2, 2024
Santana earned a save against the Cubs on Monday, striking out one batter in a perfect inning of work.
ANALYSIS
Pittsburgh scored five runs across the eighth and ninth frames to build a two-run lead heading into the bottom of the ninth. With David Bednar recently demoted from the closer role and Aroldis Chapman handling the eighth inning, Santana was given the chance to close things out, and he succeeded by retiring the side in order on 13 pitches. Bednar's demotion could be only temporary, but while he's handling lower-leverage situations Santana and Chapman appear to be the favorites to get any save chances that come along.
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Pitching Stats
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2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
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Pitching Appearances Breakdown
Average Pitch Count
18
Last 10 Games
15
Last 5 Games
15
How many pitches does Dennis Santana generally throw?
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
 
1-10
 
11-20
 
21-30
 
31-40
 
41-50
 
51-60
 
61-70
 
71-80
 
81-90
 
91-100
 
101-110
 
111-120
 
121+
What part of the game does Dennis Santana generally pitch?
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
 
 
 
1st
 
 
 
2nd
 
 
 
3rd
 
 
 
4th
 
 
 
5th
 
 
 
6th
 
 
 
7th
 
 
 
8th
 
 
 
9th
 
Extra
% Games Reaching Innings Threshold
% Games By Number of Innings Pitched
Left/Right Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-21%
BAA vs LHP
2024
 
 
-30%
BAA vs LHP
2023
 
 
-17%
BAA vs LHP
2022
 
 
-13%
BAA vs LHP
BAA Batters K BB H 2B 3B HR
Since 2022vs Left .191 206 52 26 33 10 1 3
Since 2022vs Right .243 386 83 30 84 24 1 5
2024vs Left .171 95 31 12 14 5 1 2
2024vs Right .243 192 38 9 43 13 1 2
2023vs Left .214 18 3 2 3 1 0 0
2023vs Right .259 32 9 5 7 2 0 2
2022vs Left .208 93 18 12 16 4 0 1
2022vs Right .239 162 36 16 34 9 0 1
More Splits View More Split Stats
Home/Away Pitching Splits
Since 2022
 
 
-23%
ERA on Road
2024
 
 
-14%
ERA on Road
2023
 
 
-87%
ERA on Road
2022
 
 
-12%
ERA on Road
ERA WHIP IP W L SV K/9 BB/9 HR/9
Since 2022Home 5.16 1.32 75.0 5 6 2 8.6 3.6 0.8
Since 2022Away 3.95 1.12 66.0 2 3 2 8.6 3.5 0.1
2024Home 4.14 1.23 41.1 3 1 2 7.6 2.8 0.7
2024Away 3.56 0.89 30.1 0 0 1 10.1 2.4 0.3
2023Home 16.88 3.00 2.2 0 0 0 10.1 10.1 6.8
2023Away 2.25 1.13 8.0 1 0 0 10.1 4.5 0.0
2022Home 5.52 1.29 31.0 2 5 0 9.9 4.1 0.6
2022Away 4.88 1.37 27.2 1 3 1 6.5 4.6 0.0
More Splits View More Split Stats
Stat Review
How does Dennis Santana compare to other relievers?
This section compares his stats with all relief pitcher seasons from the previous three seasons (minimum 30 innings)*. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that stat and it would be considered average.

* Exit Velocity, Barrels/BBE %, Balls Hit 95+ MPH %, and Spin Rate are benchmarked against 2019 data (min 30 IP). See here for more exit velocity/barrels stats plus an explanation of current limitations with that data set.
  • K/BB
    Strikeout to walk ratio.
  • K/9
    Average strikeouts per nine innings.
  • BB/9
    Average walks per nine innings.
  • HR/9
    Average home runs allowed per nine innings.
  • Fastball
    Average fastball velocity.
  • ERA
    Earned run average. The average earned runs allowed per nine innings.
  • WHIP
    Walks plus hits per inning pitched.
  • BABIP
    Batting average on balls in play. Measures how many balls in play against a pitcher go for hits.
  • GB/FB
    Groundball to flyball ratio. The higher the number, the more likely a pitcher is to induce groundballs.
  • Left On Base
    The percentage of base runners that a pitcher strands on base over the course of a season.
  • Exit Velocity
    The speed of the baseball as it comes off the bat, immediately after a batter makes contact.
  • Barrels/BBE
    The percentage of batted ball events resulting in a Barrel. A Barrel is a batted ball with similar exit velocity and launch angle to past ones that led to a minimum .500 batting average and 1.500 slugging percentage.
  • Spin Rate
    Spin Rate is the rate of spin on a baseball after it is released. It is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm).
  • Balls Hit 95+ MPH
    The percentage of batted balls hit that met or exceeded the 95 MPH threshold.
  • Swinging Strike
    The percentage of pitches that result in a swing and a miss.
K/BB
3.29
 
K/9
8.7
 
BB/9
2.6
 
HR/9
0.5
 
Fastball
95.6 mph
 
ERA
3.89
 
WHIP
1.09
 
BABIP
.285
 
GB/FB
1.11
 
Left On Base
62.2%
 
Exit Velocity
80.4 mph
 
Barrels/BBE
2.6%
 
Spin Rate
2494 rpm
 
Balls Hit 95+ MPH
19.1%
 
Swinging Strike
13.4%
 
Prospect Rankings History
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Defensive Stats
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Stats Vs Today's Lineup
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Past Fantasy Outlooks
2023
2021
2020
2019
After posting a 5.22 ERA and 1.33 WHIP with 54 punchouts over 58.2 innings in 63 appearances with the Rangers last season, the reliever was dealt to Atlanta in November. He was later designated for assignment and claimed by the Twins. He'll try to wni a bullpen role this spring. Santana will likely operate in low-leverage situations out of the bullpen if he does make the major league roster.
Santana really feels like a reliever stuck in a starter's body. He is a slider-heavy starter with a secondary fastball and a usable changeup who has been able to strike out out more than a hitter per inning everywhere he has gone yet has also been rather hittable as well. He owns a devilish 6.66 ERA at the big-league level with a 1.52 WHIP and .265 opponents' batting average over parts of three seasons. He has struggled in the PCL with a 6.47 ERA and 1.69 WHIP in just over 100 innings of work there and Double-A was not much better with a 3.91 ERA and 1.33 WHIP. When you watch him pitch, you can't believe a guy who throws 93-97 with his slider has those numbers, but those are his outcomes to date. He turns 25 just after the season starts and feels like just the type of guy the Dodgers trade away in a package this winter to reload for a repeat title run.
Back in the summer of 2018, Santana was riding high as one of the hottest pitching prospects in the game, but he hasn't been the same since going down with a rotator cuff injury that summer. He got the call up relatively early on in 2019 (April 7), but was sent packing after just a trio of appearances with the big club. Santana was on the injured list at Triple-A Oklahoma City before the end of April and never got going following his return, posting an unsightly 5.77 FIP in 93.1 innings with the Dodgers' top affiliate. His walk rate went from 4.4% at that level in 2018 to 11.9%, and with the implementation of the happy fun ball at Triple-A, home runs suddenly became a problem. Santana has a minor-league option remaining and the Dodgers should give him time to prove his health and get on track given the flashes of upside, but Santana will be afforded less time than he would in another organization.
A brilliant first two months in the minor leagues earned Santana a promotion to Los Angeles. He posted K-BB rates of 23% and 26.7% at Double-A (38.2 innings) and Triple-A (11 innings), respectively, using his impressive fastball-slider-changeup mix to dominate competition that was more than two years older than him on average. Unfortunately, he only got one opportunity to show what he could do against major-league hitters. He hit the disabled list with a right rotator cuff strain days after his debut, and while surgery was deemed unnecessary, Santana remained shelved through the remainder of the season. Assuming he returns to full health, Santana will likely contribute a fair amount to the big-league team in 2019, though his role remains to be seen. His heavy sinking fastball would make Santana a valuable weapon in high-leverage spots, but the Dodgers probably don't want to throw in the towel on him starting just yet.
More Fantasy News
Moves past arm injury
PPittsburgh Pirates
July 7, 2024
Santana (arm) struck out two over two scoreless innings of relief in Saturday's 5-2 loss to the Mets. He gave up two hits and no walks.
ANALYSIS
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Struck by line drive
PPittsburgh Pirates
Arm
June 24, 2024
Santana left Monday's game against the Reds after being hit by a line drive and has been diagnosed with a right arm contusion.
ANALYSIS
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Claimed by Bucs
PPittsburgh Pirates
June 11, 2024
The Pirates claimed Santana off waivers from the Yankees on Tuesday.
ANALYSIS
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Designated for assignment
PNew York Yankees
June 9, 2024
ANALYSIS
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Earns second save
PNew York Yankees
May 5, 2024
Santana allowed one hit in one scoreless inning to earn the save during Sunday's 5-2 win over the Tigers. He struck out two.
ANALYSIS
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Dominating with Buccos
PPittsburgh Pirates
September 13, 2024
Santana has a 2.68 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and 44:9 K:BB across 37 innings since being claimed off waivers by the Pirates in June.
ANALYSIS
Santana was designated for assignment by the Yankees after he posted a 6.26 ERA in 23 outings, and he surrendered six runs in his second appearance with the Pirates on June 15. Since that ugly outing though, he's allowed just five earned runs in 30 appearances. The 28-year-old journeyman is even in the closing mix for Pittsburgh given the struggles of David Bednar, though he's the clear No. 2 in the pecking order behind Aroldis Chapman. Santana has pitched for five big-league teams and spent time with seven organizations over the past four years, but he may have finally found his stride with the Pirates.
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