Fastball

Minnesota Twins Veteran Carlos Santana Scores 1,000th Career Run on Solo Home Run

Carlos Santana opened up the Minnesota Twins' win over the Los Angeles Angels with a solo home run to center, scoring the 1,000th run of his career in the process.

Sam Connon

Apr 26, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins first base Carlos Santana (30) is greeted in the dugout after a home run.
Apr 26, 2024; Anaheim, California, USA; Minnesota Twins first base Carlos Santana (30) is greeted in the dugout after a home run. / Kiyoshi Mio-USA TODAY Sports
In this story:

Carlos Santana reached another massive career milestone on Friday.

The Minnesota Twins veteran stepped up to the plate with one down in the top of the second against the Los Angeles Angels. After going down 0-2 in the count, Santana took two balls low to even things up.

Patrick Sandoval tried to attack Santana with a 90 mile-per-hour slider low in the zone, and Santana made him pay.

Santana got a hold of the pitch, crushing it 107 miles per hour with a 23 degree launch angle. He sent the ball 425 feet to straightaway center, clearing the fence and putting the Twins up 1-0 in the process.

When he finished rounding the bases, Santana crossed home plate for the 1,000th time in his storied MLB career.

Santana is now the 352nd player in MLB history to score 1,000 runs. He is one of nine active players currently in the club.

The 38-year-old catcher-turn-first baseman reached 300 home runs and 1,000 RBI during the 2023 season. He achieved both feats as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers last September.

Santana spent 10 of his first 11 MLB seasons with the Cleveland Indians, and has since bounced around between the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City Royals, Seattle Mariners, Pittsburgh Pirates, Brewers and Twins. For his career, Santana is a .241 hitter with a .781 OPS, 35.0 WAR, one All-Star appearance and one Silver Slugger Award.

Through 22 games in 2024, Santana is batting .165 with two home runs, six RBI, a .516 OPS and a -0.5 WAR.

Santana will get a chance to continue adding to his gaudy career totals when the Twins resume their series with the Angels on Saturday. Game two is set to get started at 9:38 p.m. ET.

Follow Fastball on FanNation on social media

Continue to follow our Fastball on FanNation coverage on social media by liking us on Facebook and by following us on Twitter @FastballFN.

You can also follow Sam Connon on Twitter @SamConnon.

Published
Sam Connon

SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.