Minnesota Twins Claim Hard-Throwing Righty Off Waivers


The Minnesota Twins have added another hard-throwing right-hander to the bullpen mix for this spring, claiming 26-year-old Dominican reliever Dennis Santana off waivers from the Atlanta Braves.

Santana enters his 6th major league season; last year, with the Texas Rangers, he tossed 58.2 innings out of the 'pen, registering a 5.22 ERA with a 1.33 WHIP, but he held left-handed hitters to a .208 average and a .611 OPS. 

He was dominating in the first half of the season, holding an ERA well under 2.00 right through to July. But some bad outings in July blew up his ERA for the season. 

Over the course of his career, he's struck out nearly one batter per nine innings, but has also walked 4.7 per nine, and that's the element of his game he needs to get under control (literally). 

Last year, his average fastball clocked in at about 97 mph. He also has a filthy slider, which he throws often, and a good 90-mph changeup.  

He's out of minor league options, so he'll need to make the team out of spring or be put on waivers.

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