The Cleveland Indians announced Friday that they declined the options of left-handed closer Brad Hand, first baseman Carlos Santana and outfielder Domingo Santana.
The team also announced it exercised the option of catcher Roberto Perez, who will make $5.5 million in 2021.
Hand, a three-time All-Star, had a $10 million option for next season. He led the majors with 16 saves in 2020 and the team placed him on outright waivers on Thursday, hoping another club would claim him and keep the Indians from having to pay a $1 million buyout.
The 30-year-old Hand was perfect on save opportunities in 2020 while going 2-1 with a 2.05 ERA in 23 appearances. He recorded 58 saves in 2 1/2 seasons with Cleveland after being acquired from the San Diego Padres along with right-hander Adam Cimber for catcher Francisco Mejia.
Overall, he has 105 career saves and a 26-43 record in 396 career appearances (43 starts) with the Florida/Miami Marlins (2011-15), Padres (2016-18) and Indians.
Carlos Santana’s option was for $17.5 million and the Indians instead paid a $500,000 buyout.
Carlos Santana, 34, batted just .199 with eight homers and 30 RBIs in 60 games this season. The switch-hitter hit .281 with 34 homers and 93 RBIs in 2019 as he began his second stint with Cleveland.
Overall, he has a .248 career average with 240 homers and 796 RBIs in 1,495 games over 11 seasons. Ten of those seasons were with the Indians and he also played for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2018.
Cleveland paid Domingo Santana a $250,000 buyout after declining his $5 million option. He batted just .157 with two homers and 12 RBIs in 24 games, his first with the club.
Overall, the 28-year-old has a .255 career average with 77 homers and 244 RBIs in 516 games with the Houston Astros (2014-15), Milwaukee Brewers (2015-2018), Seattle Mariners (2019) and Indians.
Perez, 31, is known for his defense and will enter the 2021 season with a 126-game error-less streak. He also has gone 158 games with allowing a passed ball dating back to Sept. 4, 2018.
Perez batted just .165 with one homer and five RBIs in 32 games in 2020. In seven seasons, all with the Indians, he has a .212 average with 46 homers and 167 RBIs in 446 games.
