The Pittsburgh Pirates officially parted ways with reliever Dennis Santana after the veteran right-hander elected free agency. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported Santana cleared waivers and declined an outright assignment to Triple-A Indianapolis following his designation for assignment last week.
Santana's departure closes the book on a stint that began when Pittsburgh claimed him off waivers in 2024. He became a valuable bullpen piece and even handled closing duties when David Bednar was optioned during the 2025 season.
The Pirates signed Santana to a one-year, $3.5 million contract before the 2026 campaign, hoping he could continue providing late-inning stability. Instead, command issues and inconsistent results led the club to move on as it reshaped its bullpen ahead of the trade deadline.
Pittsburgh designated Santana for assignment on July 23 after acquiring right-hander Ron Marinaccio from the San Diego Padres. Once he cleared waivers, Santana had the right to reject a minor league assignment and instead elected free agency.
The 30-year-old finished his Pirates tenure with a 6.05 ERA across 44 appearances this season. He posted a 2-5 record, struck out 37 batters in 41.2 innings and allowed eight home runs while struggling to regain the form he showed earlier in his career.
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The Pirates entered Wednesday with a 55-54 record, sitting third in the National League Central behind the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. While still within reach of postseason contention, Pittsburgh has been active in evaluating ways to strengthen its roster for the stretch run.
Marinaccio is expected to absorb some of the innings vacated by Santana as the Pirates continue navigating the final days before Monday's trade deadline. Santana, meanwhile, will look for another opportunity elsewhere after becoming a free agent.
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