According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, free agent outfielder Anthony Santander is seeking a five-year contract during free agency. It was reported earlier this offseason that the former Oriole was gaining interest from other AL East ball clubs, including the Blue Jays and Yankees. Last summer in Baltimore, Santander hit a career-high 44 home runs and held a .235/.308/.506 slash line. He also added 25 doubles and tallied over 100 RBI for the first time in his career. This was a nice improvement compared to the 28 long balls he hit in 2023. The switch-hitter generated a strong 11.7% barrel rate and held an above-average 19.4% K rate. Fantasy managers should closely monitor where Santander signs in the offseason as he could be in line to enjoy another successful season, especially if he remains with a competing team.
Anthony Santander Drawing Interest From AL East Clubs
Free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander is drawing strong interest from the Blue Jays, Red Sox, and Yankees -- all teams who missed out on the Juan Soto sweepstakes. Santander is a switch-hitting power hitter who has hit 105 home runs over the last three seasons combined, including a career-high 44 last season. The 30-year-old also set career-best marks for RBI (102), runs scored (91), contact rate (82.2%), and barrel rate (11.7%), with a .345 wOBA and 129 wRC+. The veteran has spent his entire career with Baltimore, so moving to any of those teams would keep him with some familiar company. With no signs of slowing down, he figures to be a strong offensive fantasy option in 2025 drafts, regardless of landing spot.
Blue Jays Could Make Aggressive Play For Anthony Santander
USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale reports that the Toronto Blue Jays badly covet free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander and could overpay to get him. Toronto has been the American League's most underachieving team in recent years and haven't won a playoff game since 2016. They are heading into a critical 2025 season with president Mark Shapiro in the final year of his contract and with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette in their final seasons before reaching free agency. They would have to dramatically outbid the New York Mets for outfielder Juan Soto, and the same can probably be said for free-agent pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried. Santander, who had a career year in 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles with 44 long balls and 102 RBI, would remain highly coveted in fantasy with a move to Toronto to stay in the AL East.
The Baltimore Orioles extended a $21.05 million qualifying offer to free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander on Monday, according to sources. If Santander rejects the offer and leaves the O's in free agency this offseason, Baltimore will receive draft-pick compensation. He is unlikely to accept the offer as he searches for a lucrative contract on the open market. The switch-hitting Venezuelan outfielder made his first All-Star appearance in 2024, his eighth year in the big leagues, by hitting .235/.308/.506 with an .814 OPS, career-high 44 home runs, career-high 102 RBI, two stolen bases and a career-high 91 runs scored in 655 trips to the plate over 155 games played. Santander has been an offensive force for the Orioles the last three seasons, combining for 105 home runs and 286 RBI in 460 games played. He has only 10 steals in eight seasons and a career average of .246.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander went 1-for-3 with a two-run, walk-off shot and two walks on Thursday afternoon. Santander launched his 42nd long ball of the summer off San Francisco right-hander Ryan Walker to power the Orioles to a victory. Santander entered this game carrying a mere .100 AVG across his previous five games, so this could be a nice outing to build momentum. The 29-year-old switch-hitter has enjoyed his first 40-home run campaign this season while carrying a .238/.310/.511 line. Even though his batting average has not been stable, Santander has been one of the best power hitters in baseball this summer. Fantasy managers should continue to keep Santander locked into their starting lineups over the final week of the summer, given his high-power upside.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander delivered the difference-making blow in Friday night's win over the visiting Houston Astros, clubbing his 38th home run of the season in the victory. Santander sent Camden Yards into a frenzy on Friday night, smashing a Bryan Abreu fastball at the letters into deep right field for a go-ahead grand slam for the O's in the eighth inning against Houston. The 29-year-old All-Star switch-hitter has been a key cog all season long in Baltimore's lineup, slashing .238/.305/.526 with 38 home runs, 20 doubles, 86 RBI, and 77 runs scored through 479 at-bats (124 games).
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander appears to be getting a regular day of rest in Sunday's series finale against the division-rival Boston Red Sox at Camden Yards. With Santander starting on the pine, Ryan O'Hearn will play right field for the O's and bat second, while Eloy Jimenez is serving as the designated hitter and is batting cleanup against Red Sox right-hander Kutter Crawford. Santander has already hit a career-high 36 home runs in 2024 and driven in 80 runs in 119 games. However, he's hitting just .183 (11-for-60) with five home runs, three doubles, seven RBI, a stolen base and 18 strikeouts in 68 trips to the plate over 15 games in the month of August. O'Hearn has faced Crawford seven times in his career and is still searching for his first hit against him, while Jimenez is batting .167 in six career at-bats against Crawford.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander continued his power surge in Tuesday's loss versus the Washington Nationals. Santander went 1-for-4 on the evening, but his one his was a solo home run. The slugger has continued to do what he does best and that is hitting home runs. Over the last month, Santander is hitting .265 with 12 homers and 22 RBI to go along with an impressive .999 OPS. The upcoming free-agent is earning more money with every ball he sends to the bleachers and overall has hit .243 with a career-high 36 homers and 80 RBI thus far. With the way he swinging, it is clear that Santander should remain in lineups on a daily basis.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander had a big night at the plate in Wednesday evening's win over the hosting division-rival Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, smacking two home runs with three RBI. Before hitting a solo homer to left field in the eighth inning to increase the Orioles' lead to 5-3, Santander hit a two-run blast to right-center field off Blue Jays right-hander Bowden Francis to give Baltimore a 2-0 lead over Toronto in the first frame on Wednesday. The 29-year-old All-Star switch-hitting slugger has been one of fantasy's most consistent options all season long, and since June 1, Santander is batting .278 (65-for-234) with 25 round-trippers, 49 RBI, and 43 runs scored in his last 59 games.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Anthony Santander continued his career power season in Monday's 6-2 win over the Blue Jays. Santander went 2-for-3 with a double, a solo home run, two RBI, and a walk. The 29-year-old took Brendon Little deep in the fifth inning, hitting an opposite-field liner just off the top of the right-field padding for his 31st HR of the season. Santander has almost matched his career-high HR count already and is slashing .246/.314/.536 with 62 runs scored and 72 RBI in 437 plate appearances. He should continue to be a fantasy lineup staple while hitting in the middle of one of baseball's best lineups.
