For the first time in his MLB career, the possibility of Anthony Santander playing for a team other than the Orioles is very real.
Santander, 30, is a free agent this winter after spending eight seasons in Baltimore. The Orioles plucked the Venezuelan native from Cleveland in the 2016 Rule 5 draft and, after an injury-hampered first few years, he developed into a crucial member of their lineup. Never was that more evident than this past season, when he set career highs in home runs (44) and RBIs (102) en route to his first career All-Star selection and Silver Slugger Award.
Though he expressed his interest in re-signing with the Orioles at several points in 2024, Santander finished the season without an extension in place. Baltimore issued him the $21.05 million qualifying offer, but the move was little more than a formality and he declined it ahead of Tuesday’s deadline in hopes of landing a more lucrative long-term contract in free agency.
Now, any attempts by the Orioles to sign Santander to a new deal will be measured against the bids of other clubs. Given the front office’s messaging over first-year owner David Rubenstein’s willingness to spend in free agency this winter, a return to Baltimore for Santander can’t be ignored as a significant possibility.
The switch-hitting outfielder has been a beloved figure among both his Orioles teammates and fans. In the clubhouse, he was a source of unbridled optimism who emerged as a veteran leader and example for the club’s young core during a trying 2024 season. One of the few remaining holdovers from their rebuild, Santander has been as invested in the Orioles’ emergence as legitimate postseason contenders as anyone.
“Didn’t want it to end here and obviously we don’t know what’s gonna happen but I would have liked to go further in the playoffs,” Santander said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones after Baltimore’s season-ending loss to the Kansas City Royals in Game 2 of the wild-card round.
“In this moment I only have a chance to think about my broken heart.”
Santander felt a sense of loyalty to Baltimore for believing in him as a prospect and continuing to do so even after he struggled to establish himself in the majors. But while there might be interest on his end in a reunion, it will take a similar sentiment from executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias to keep him in an Orioles uniform.
“He is one of the key figures in bringing this franchise back to relevance, playoff competitiveness, excitement, filling the ballpark,” Elias said at his end-of-season news conference. “He’s been terrific. I love the guy, personally. I think everyone in that locker room does. But it’s Major League Baseball. We’ve got business coming up.”
While the strong relationship between the two sides put a hometown discount in play, Santander is within range of clearing a $20 million average annual value (AAV) on his next deal if he signs elsewhere. Questions about his on-base skills (.308 OBP last season) and outfield defense (minus-2 outs above average) might cap his upside, and the attachment of the qualifying offer (which requires other teams to forfeit draft capital to sign him) could limit the number of interested suitors, but Santander’s power will still garner plenty of interest on the open market.
Perhaps the biggest domino that will need to fall first is Juan Soto. The 26-year-old outfielder is the clear-cut top free agent available and the contract he eventually signs is likely to set records. However, only one team will ultimately land him, which will force those who miss out on the Soto sweepstakes to pivot to the next tier of free agent outfielders. Santander, Teoscar Hernández, Jurickson Profar and Tyler O’Neill stand to benefit most from any urgency or desperation that stems from missing out on a generational talent.
As for the Orioles’ level of interest, the decision to sign Santander will be weighed against the other places their financial resources would be used. The Orioles have yet to sign any of their young stars such as Gunnar Henderson, Adley Rutschman, Jordan Westburg or Colton Cowser to extensions beyond their arbitration years. They also have a void in the starting rotation with All-Star Corbin Burnes testing free agency, and Elias said in a news conference Friday that the club is “engaged” in conversations with some of the top pitchers available.
Baltimore’s outfield will have a void of its own without Santander in the mix. Yet his absence would also create more playing time for 2020 first-round pick Heston Kjerstad, who has impressed with a .746 OPS in a limited 147 plate appearances over the past two seasons. Signing Santander would place yet another obstacle in front of Kjerstad and, in the long term, an eventual shift to first base or designated hitter by the veteran slugger could fill positions that top prospects Coby Mayo and Samuel Basallo might need to occupy down the road.
As a result, the path to a reunion between the Orioles and Santander is murky even though it can’t be ruled out. There’s a lot of history between them and, amid a pivotal offseason for the franchise, their front office has several key decisions to make that will go a long way in determining their level of success for the next half-decade or more. Whether Santander will be a part of it will be determined in these next few months.
Have a news tip? Contact Matt Weyrich at mweyrich@baltsun.com, 410-332-6200 and x.com/ByMattWeyrich.