Inside The Orioles

Baltimore Orioles Free Agent Anthony Santander's Market Coming Into Focus

The market for Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander is coming into focus after Juan Soto agreed to his deal with the New York Mets.
Kenneth Teape|
Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Anthony Santander (25) hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning at Fenway Park.
Sep 11, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Baltimore Orioles designated hitter Anthony Santander (25) hits a home run against the Boston Red Sox in the eighth inning at Fenway Park. | David Butler II-Imagn Images

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Baltimore Orioles

One of the goals for the Baltimore Orioles this offseason was to find a power-hitting, right-handed batter for the outfield.

They accomplished that goal just before the Winter Meetings got underway.

The Orioles' first splash of the offseason was agreeing to a three-year, $49 million deal with Tyler O’Neill. It is a significant deal for several reasons.

For starters, it shows that the new ownership group is willing to spend a little bit of money to address needs on the roster. It also weakens a division rival in the Boston Red Sox who are on the rise, as O’Neill was incredibly productive for them in 2024 with 31 home runs in just 113 games.

If he can stay healthy, Baltimore has gotten quite a steal and has someone capable of producing at the level Austin Hays did in from 2021-2023 before injuries set him back this past year.

Another fallout from the O’Neill deal for the franchise is that it could signal they are prepared to move on from All-Star right fielder Anthony Santander.

Coming off a career-high 44 home runs and 102 RBI, he is going to have a lot of suitors on the free agency market. With Juan Soto signing the largest contract in sports history with the New York Mets late Sunday night, the market for players such as Santander is starting to come into focus.

As Jon Morosi of MLB Network shared, the teams who missed out on Soto will now turn their attention elsewhere. Teams in need of outfield help will now target the Orioles star power hitter and Teoscar Hernandez.

A few clubs to keep an eye on, as shared by Morosi, are the New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers. Hernandez helped the Dodgers win the World Series over the Yankees this year.

Other teams who could certainly get into the mix include the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals. Both franchises are looking to infuse some power into their lineup to continue building around emerging young cores that are loaded with talent.

Rumors have swirled that Santander could land a nine-figure contract that pays at least $20 million annually. While he isn’t on the same tier of player as Soto, Seeing how much money teams were willing to offer the new Mets outfielder, it is clear that franchises are willing to spend to address needs on their roster.

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Kenneth Teape
KENNETH TEAPE

Kenneth Teape is an alumnus of SUNY Old Westbury and graduated in 2013 with an Honors Degree in Media Communications with a focus on print journalism. During his time at Old Westbury, he worked for the school newspaper and several online publications, such as Knicks Now, the official website of the New York Knicks, and a self-made website with fellow students, Gotham City Sports News. Kenneth has also been a site expert at Empire Writes Back, Musket Fire, and Lake Show Life within the FanSided Network. He was a contributor to HoopsHabit, with work featured on Bleacher Report and Yardbarker. In addition to his work here, he is a reporter for both NBA Analysis Network and NFL Analysis Network, as well as a writer and editor for Packers Coverage. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @teapester725, or reach him via email at teapester725@gmail.com.

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