The Cleveland Guardians’ clubhouse was running on fumes. It was barely noon, but after playing 18 innings the night before, stretching well into the night, the team was back in uniform, back on the field, and back to battling through a relentless 22-games-in-23-days stretch. Classic rock hummed faintly in the background, Gatorade cups sat filled with coffee, and players moved slowly, clinging to whatever fuel they could find.

Except for one man. Carlos Santana, 39 years old and in his third stint with the Guardians, had already ditched the coffee. The longtime big leaguer, now the second-oldest position player in MLB behind Justin Turner, stood out—not just because of his age, but because he still plays every game like he’s 25. But staying ready doesn’t come easily. Gone are the late nights and caffeine jolts. In their place? A personal chef, massage sessions, strict sleep schedules, and the sheer will to outlast.

“Last year, I quit. And my body feels good,” Santana said of giving up caffeine. “It was tough. It’s hard, everybody knows, at my age. People have retired. But I’m keeping on.”

That honesty hits hard because it’s real. This isn’t a farewell tour or a feel-good cameo. Santana is still producing. Just hours after blasting a three-run homer in the second game of a doubleheader, he stepped up the next day with a bases-clearing double to spark an eight-run rally. The Guardians don’t pay him $12 million to be a legacy act, he’s still driving wins.

Santana doesn’t flash his resume, eight teams, over 1,300 RBI, an All-Star nod, and a trip to Game 7 of the World Series with the Guardians. He just shows up. He leads with habits, not hype. While most of his debut teammates have long since walked away, Santana keeps lacing up, a quiet reminder that longevity takes more than talent.

It takes sacrifice. It takes pride. And yes, it takes a bit of stubbornness to keep going when your body whispers that maybe it’s time to stop.

Carlos Santana: A living example for the next generation of MLB

In a clubhouse filled with rising stars and fresh-faced big leaguers, Carlos Santana stands as a walking blueprint for longevity. At 39, he doesn’t command the room with volume—but with consistency. His daily routine is clockwork: massage table sessions before and after games, stretching drills most rookies haven’t learned yet, and a meticulously clean diet. Even little things, like cutting caffeine entirely, speak to his commitment. While most players lean on coffee to survive early starts, Santana powers through on sheer discipline, setting a tone younger players can’t help but notice.

Take Steven Kwan, for instance. The 26-year-old All-Star admits he was in sixth grade when Santana debuted. Now, he watches the veteran closely. “He doesn’t drink, he eats right, he talks about what he’s doing in the weight room,” Kwan said. “It’s cool to see that if you want to last in this game, this is what it looks like.” It’s not just talk, Santana is still producing. In one 18-inning doubleheader, he racked up four hits and blasted a three-run homer. The next morning, he showed up again and cleared the bases with a crucial double. That kind of durability, especially at his age, turns heads.

More than just leading by example, Santana has become a resource. Younger players ask him questions about nutrition, recovery, swing adjustments, and he’s generous with what he’s learned. For a team filled with developing talent, his presence is less about nostalgia and more about mentorship in motion. While many MLB veterans fade into background roles, Santana is still in the thick of the action both in the box score and in the minds of his teammates.

He’s not just surviving the grind, he’s redefining what thriving late in a career can look like.