Pirates A to Z: After Tommy John surgery, MLB suspension, Edgar Santana return is a relief

During the offseason, the Tribune-Review will offer Pirates A to Z, an alphabetical player-by-player look at the 40-man roster, from outfielder Anthony Alford to pitcher Nik Turley.

Edgar Santana

Position: Pitcher

Throws: Right

Age: 29

Height: 6-foot-2

Weight: 190 pounds

2020 MLB statistics: Did not play after being suspended 80 games by MLB for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.

Contract: Not yet eligible for arbitration.

Acquired: Signed as a non-drafted free agent in October 2013.

This past season: The Pirates’ bullpen was dealt a big blow when it lost Santana for the season before summer camp even started.

The high-leverage reliever was suspended 80 games on June 28 for violation of MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program after he tested positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing drug.

The Pirates had intended to include Santana in their 60-man player pool, announced that same day, so they started camp one player short of their allotment.

It the latest setback for Santana, whose stellar rookie season ended when he tore the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow in late September 2018. Santana was 3-4 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.101 WHIP in 69 appearances, striking out 54 while allowing 12 walks and seven home runs in 66 1/3 innings.

He had increased his repertoire to four pitches — sinker, slider, four-seam fastball and a changeup — and was throwing in the mid-90s. His slider was particularly effective, as opponents batted .156 with a 47.9% whiff rate, striking out 40 times.

“It was very frustrating,” Santana said this past spring. “I felt like I was really proving that I could be a good big-league pitcher, then I had the surgery, and it felt like I was back in rookie ball starting all over again.”

But Santana missed the 2019 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery at Pirate City in Bradenton, Fla., and watching fellow Dominicans like right fielder Gregory Polanco from afar only made the mental grind of his rehabilitation harder.

“Sometimes I’d put the game on the TV, and I’d have to change the channel because I felt I like I should be there and I couldn’t be there,” Santana said last spring. “It was hard. I wanted to watch the games and root for my teammates, but some nights I just couldn’t do it. … It was tough when all my friends were there, and I was down here.”

Santana threw five perfect innings, striking out four batters, in spring training but was optioned to to Triple-A Indianapolis on March 20 after baseball shut down for three-plus months.

When baseball returned, Santana was banned. And his absence was felt, especially when relievers Nick Burdi, Kyle Crick, Michael Feliz, Clay Holmes and Keone Kela went on the injured list. The Pirates could have used Santana’s arm in high-leverage situations.

The future: The good news for Santana is that MLB reduced his suspension to 60 games, allowing for the time served this past season to suffice. And the Pirates kept him on their 40-man roster, even as they parted ways with relief pitchers Yacksel Rios, Nick Tropeano, Dovydas Neverauskas and Brandon Waddell.

The Pirates also lost Kela and Derek Holland to free agency, so there is opportunity for Santana to move into a back-end role in the bullpen. It doesn’t hurt that he’s not eligible for arbitration until 2022, so he should be an affordable arm with major-league experience.

Santana is playing winter ball for Gigantes del Cibao in his native Dominican. In his first appearance, he faced four batters and allowed two hits and had a strikeout in two-thirds of an inning.

Santana posted this message in late October on Instagram: “Thank you God for every opportunity you give in this life to do what I love.”