Dennis Santana Bio
Dennis Anfernee Santana Sánchez is a Dominican professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Texas Rangers, New York Mets, and New York Yankees. A right-handed reliever who has spent time as both a starter and a bullpen arm, Santana has built his career on volume pitching and the ability to bounce back from rough stretches at the highest level. On the international stage, he earned a bronze medal with the Dominican Republic at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Early Life and Background
Dennis Anfernee Santana Sánchez was born on April 12, 1996, and grew up in the Dominican Republic, a country with a deep pipeline of Major League pitching talent. From a young age, he developed in a baseball culture that emphasizes arm strength and competitive innings, and his progression through the amateur ranks there drew the attention of Major League scouts. He was identified as a prospect with starter-grade stuff and the frame to handle a full season workload, which made him an attractive signing target for organizations looking to develop young Latin American arms.
Path to Baseball
Santana signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers as an international free agent in March 2013, beginning his path toward the Major Leagues. He made his professional debut in 2014 with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers, where he went 2–1 with a 1.05 ERA across twenty games, an early signal of the strike-throwing ability that has defined his career. He continued to climb through the Dodgers’ farm system with stops in the Arizona League, Ogden Raptors, and Great Lakes Loons, where he was a Midwest League All-Star in 2016. By 2017, he was in the California League with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and earned a midseason promotion to the Tulsa Drillers, finishing 8–7 with a 4.11 ERA. The Dodgers added him to the 40-man roster on November 20, 2017, locking in his place on the franchise’s pitching depth chart.
Dennis Santana Career
Early Career (2014–2017)
Across his first four professional seasons, Santana established himself as one of the more promising arms in the Dodgers’ system. He opened with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers in 2014, then bounced between the Arizona League Dodgers and the Ogden Raptors in 2015 before settling in with the Great Lakes Loons in 2016. With Great Lakes, he posted a 5–9 record and a 3.07 ERA with 124 strikeouts in 111.1 innings, earning Midwest League All-Star honors. In 2017, he split the year between the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes and the Tulsa Drillers, going 8–7 with a 4.11 ERA, and was rewarded with a 40-man roster spot that winter.
Los Angeles Dodgers Breakthrough (2018–2021)
The Dodgers called Santana up to the majors for the first time on May 30, 2018, and he made his debut on June 1 against the Colorado Rockies, picking up the win in relief while also hitting a two-RBI double in his first Major League at-bat. A right rotator cuff strain suffered while warming up in the bullpen cut his first start short, however, and he spent the rest of the season on the disabled list. He returned for short stints in 2019 and 2020, and by the start of 2021 he was struggling to a 6.00 ERA in 16 appearances. The Dodgers designated him for assignment on June 12, 2021, ending his time in the organization.
Texas Rangers Era (2021–2022)
On June 17, 2021, the Texas Rangers acquired Santana from the Dodgers in exchange for Kelvin Bautista, and he was assigned to the Triple-A Round Rock Express. He pitched 63 games for Texas across parts of two seasons, posting a 3–8 record with a 5.22 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 58.2 innings while working primarily out of the bullpen. His time with the Rangers ended on November 15, 2022, when he was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash considerations.
New York Mets Tenure (2023)
After signing a one-year, $1 million contract with the Braves in January 2023 and being claimed off waivers by the Minnesota Twins in February, Santana was claimed off waivers by the New York Mets on March 17, 2023. He bounced on and off the Mets’ active roster throughout the year, appearing in seven games with a 7.04 ERA before electing free agency on August 22, 2023.
New York Yankees Stint (2024)
Santana signed a minor league contract with the New York Yankees on December 6, 2023, that included an invitation to spring training, and was promoted to the majors on April 5, 2024, when Jonathan Loáisiga was placed on the 60-day injured list. In 23 appearances for the Yankees, he posted a 6.26 ERA with 19 strikeouts across 27.1 innings before being designated for assignment on June 9.
Pittsburgh Pirates Era (2024–Present)
The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed Santana off waivers on June 11, 2024, and the move marked a clear turning point in his career. In 39 appearances down the stretch, he posted a career-best 2.44 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 44.1 innings, becoming a trusted late-inning option. He went into the 2025 season with a $1.4 million salary after losing his arbitration case, and on June 29, 2025, he received a three-game suspension stemming from a June 19 incident at Comerica Park in Detroit, where he attempted to jump and swing at a fan in the stands.
Notable Events and Milestones
Santana’s Major League debut on June 1, 2018, stands out as a career milestone, as he recorded his first hit, a two-RBI double, in his first Major League at-bat. He added international recognition with a bronze medal for the Dominican Republic at the 2026 World Baseball Classic in Miami, cementing his standing on the global stage.
Dennis Santana Family
Personal Life
Public details about Dennis Anfernee Santana Sánchez’s personal and family life outside of baseball are limited.
2025 Season Performance
Dennis Anfernee Santana Sánchez entered 2025 as a key piece of the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bullpen after a strong finish to 2024. After losing his salary arbitration case in February, he settled into a $1.4 million salary and continued to handle late-inning assignments for the club. His season was interrupted on June 29, 2025, when Major League Baseball suspended him three games for an on-field incident at Comerica Park in Detroit. He is expected to return to the Pirates’ relief corps following the suspension and remain a high-volume arm in Pittsburgh’s bullpen.
