Dennis Santana’s career turnaround fueled by Aroldis Chapman’s mentorship

When Dennis Santana, a 28‑year‑old reliever, landed on the roster of the Pittsburgh Pirates after being waived by the New York Yankees, nobody expected the career turnaround that would follow.

The turnaround didn’t happen by accident. It was the product of a daily grind modeled after veteran fire‑baller Aroldis Chapman, whose 105‑mph fastball is as much a story of iron‑clad conditioning as it is of raw talent. From the moment the Padres‑to‑Cubs legend stepped into the Pirates’ weight room, Santana began copying a regimen that started at 7:30 a.m. – even on nights when he was slated to pitch under lights.

From Waivers to Wins: Santana’s 2023 Season

On March 30, 2023, the Pirates claimed Santana off waivers, a move most analysts called a low‑risk lottery ticket. In his first full season with Pittsburgh, he logged 44 1/3 innings, posting a 2.44 ERA, striking out 50 batters and posting a sub‑1.00 WHIP (0.92). Those numbers were a stark contrast to his 2022 stint with the Yankees, where he struggled to keep his ERA above 5.00 and saw his velocity dip by two miles per hour.

What changed? Apart from the mechanical tweaks offered by the Pirates coaching staff and the analytics department’s push to lean on his cutter, Santana added 10 pounds of lean muscle – a direct result of Chapman’s “early‑bird” gym habit. "Doing that routine every day, it didn't matter if I had a good day or a bad day, I just kept the same routine," Santana said in a post‑game interview. "The bad results will come, but if you keep doing your routine, it gets better."

The Mentor’s Blueprint: Aroldis Chapman’s Routine

Chapman’s own daily schedule reads like a military drill. He arrives at the club’s training facility at 7:30 a.m., completes a 90‑minute strength circuit, follows it with a series of band‑resisted throws, and only then steps onto the mound for his evening outing. The veteran has shared this playbook with several younger arms, and Santana was the latest beneficiary.

"Aroldis showed me that consistency beats inspiration," Santana recalled. The former Cubs bullpen coach, Mike Rizzo, confirmed that Chapman’s influence has begun to ripple through the club. "He doesn’t just throw heat; he throws a habit that sticks," Rizzo explained to the Pittsburgh Post‑Gazette after a Thursday bullpen session.

Behind the Numbers: How the Pirates Turned a Prospect into a Bullpen Asset

The Pirates’ analytics team, led by Dr. Elena Martinez, identified that Santana’s cutter spin rate was 2,600 RPM – below the league average for relievers. By pairing that data with Chapman's weight‑room blueprint, they crafted a two‑pronged plan: improve pitch quality and boost physical durability.

• Weight gain: +10 lb of muscle (from 185 lb to 195 lb)
• Gym frequency: 5 days/week, 90‑minute sessions
• Morning routine start time: 7:30 a.m.
• Resulting velocity increase: 93 mph average fastball (up from 90 mph)
• Stat line: 2.44 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, 50 K in 44 1/3 IP

These tweaks turned Santana into a reliable 2‑out middle‑relief option, allowing the Pirates to keep his arm fresh for high‑leverage situations late in games.

Voices from the Clubhouse: Players and Coaches React

Pirates manager Mike Happ praised the veteran‑to‑rookie synergy. "When a seasoned arm like Aroldis takes the time to walk a younger pitcher through his routine, you see the entire organization lift," Happ said during a press conference on June 12, 2023.

The clubhouse consensus echoed that sentiment. Veteran left‑fielder Jacob Stallings remarked, "Seeing Dennis come in every morning, grinding, it’s contagious. It pushes all of us to level up."

What This Means for the Future of Veteran Influence in MLB

Baseball’s trend toward analytics and data‑driven scouting often overshadows the intangible value of mentorship. Santana’s story is a reminder that seasoned players still wield cultural capital that can shape a younger teammate’s work ethic.

Analyst John Scolnick told ESPN that “the league is at a crossroads where the old‑school ‘learn by doing’ approach meets the new‑school ‘measure everything’ mindset.” He predicts that clubs will formalize mentorship programs, pairing high‑profile pitchers like Chapman with emerging relievers to accelerate development.

For Santana, the routine has already paid dividends, and the future looks brighter than the Pirates’ 2022 season ever did. If he keeps the consistency, the odds are he’ll remain a fixture in Pittsburgh’s bullpen for years to come.