Atlanta Braves To Make Ervin Santana Qualifying Offer

Sep 26, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Ervin Santana (30) pitches during the first inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 26, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Ervin Santana (30) pitches during the first inning of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Right-hander Ervin Santana is expected to get a qualifying offer from the Atlanta Braves after a successful first season in the National League

Per MLB.com Ervin Santana is expected to get a qualifying offer from his 2014 team the Atlanta Braves.  He went 14-10 with a 3.95 ERA in the 2014 season.

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The MLB right-hander fell just short of 200 innings, throwing for 196.0 in his first season in the National League.  He was with the Kansas City Royals in 2013 and spent the previous eight seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.

The thought is Santana will reject a one-year $15.3 million offer from the Braves in order to be able to test the free agent market.  The Braves don’t necessarily want to pay that contract so they feel they can make it with little risk of acceptance.  They will also get a compensatory pick in 2015 if Santana signs with someone else.  It is a risk though.  If Santana does reject it and finds another team it would be his fourth team in four seasons in 2015.

Santana is usually a reliable pitcher who can give you innings.  He has thrown at least 200 innings in three of the last five seasons.  he has a career ERA of 4.17.  Santana was not signed until the middle of spring training though in 2014.  The thought was teams didn’t want to part with the draft pick.  However with his career numbers, someone will eventually take a flier on him if he takes to the market.

The compensatory picks are given only to teams that extend a uniform qualifying offer of $15.3 million.  Teams have until 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday to make qualifying offers to players.

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