Pittsburgh Pirates Trade Deadline 2023: Players Most Likely to Be Dealt

Which Pirate players are most likely to be traded before next Tuesday's deadline?
Jul 24, 2023; San Diego, California, USA;  Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Carlos Santana (41)
Jul 24, 2023; San Diego, California, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates first baseman Carlos Santana (41) / Ray Acevedo-USA TODAY Sports
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First baseman/designated hitter Carlos Santana

To be honest, it would be a bit of a surprise if Carlos Santana is still a Pirate past the trade deadline. Santana is set to become a free agent and brings a lot of qualities to the table that a contending team will be looking for.

Even at 37-years-old, Santana has proven he can still be a key cog on a MLB team. Entering play on Tuesday night, he was hitting for a .237/.322/.408 slash line this season with a 99 wRC+ and an OPS+ of 98. Santana has a strong 11.4% walk rate and 17.7% strikeout rate to go with an isolated slugging (ISO) of .172 and 11 home runs.

The veteran is also having arguably the best defensive season of his career. Santana currently owns a career-best +7 Defensive Runs Saved and his +2 Outs Above Average is his highest since 2019. If he spends the entire season in the National League there is a real chance Santana takes home the Gold Glove Award at first base this season.

Furthermore, teams will value Santana's postseason experience and leadership. Santana is one of the best clubhouse leaders in baseball, especially for young Latin players, and that is always vital during a postseason push/run. Santana also has 120 plate appearances in 28 career postseason games, which includes hitting a home run and posting a 104 wRC+ in five postseason games with Seattle last season.

Again, it's hard to envision Santana remaining with the Pirates past next Tuesday. Odds are the only way Santana is still with the team past the trade deadline is if the team does not receive any worthwhile offers for him, which is unlikely.