The Baltimore Orioles have lost a crucial piece of their lineup this offseason as outfielder has signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with another team. The power-hitting outfielder, who spent the last eight seasons with Baltimore, made it clear that the Orioles’ offer didn’t come close to being competitive.
After facing his former team for the first time during a spring training game, he didn’t mince words when asked if he would have considered Baltimore’s offer.
“Nah. Zero chance. Zero chance at all,” Anthony Santander told The Baltimore Sun. “They made an offer, but it wasn’t even close. We understand it’s the business side of things. Mike [Elias] is really smart about it, and we are too. We had to be patient, and Toronto just gave us the opportunity we were looking for.”
Santander’s departure is a significant blow for the Orioles, who are coming off consecutive playoff appearances. The switch-hitter had a career-best season, belting 44 home runs, earning his first All-Star nod, and winning a Silver Slugger award. Although losing such a powerful bat in the heart of the lineup is tough, the Orioles had already shown signs of moving forward by signing outfielder Tyler O’Neill to a three-year, $49.5 million contract in December.
Anthony Santander starts new journey with Blue Jays
The Orioles have high hopes for promising young outfield prospect Heston Kjerstad and believe their strong farm system will offer reliable internal replacements. However, parting ways with a player like Anthony Santander—who played a key role in the team’s rebuild and resurgence—wasn’t an easy decision. Manager Brandon Hyde, who coached Santander for nearly his entire MLB career, admitted it felt odd seeing him don a Blue Jays uniform.
“I don’t like seeing him in blue,” Hyde said. “He’s one of my favorite players I’ve ever coached. I love everything about him.”
Santander’s journey to stardom in the majors was far from typical. Drafted by the Orioles in the Rule 5 Draft in 2016, he gradually evolved into a cornerstone of the franchise. His determination through seasons marked by over 100 losses made Baltimore’s recent success all the more rewarding.
“When you hit free agency, you naturally want to stay with the team that gave you your shot,” Santander said. “But at the end of the day, it’s a business. I’m just looking forward to playing against them over the next five years.” Santander’s arrival in Toronto intensifies an already fierce AL East rivalry, with the Orioles set to face the Blue Jays at least 13 times this season, beginning on Opening Day on March 27.
“It’s not going to be fun facing him because he’s such a great player,” Hyde admitted. “They’ve got a quality person and player over there. He’s a threat from both sides of the plate, and we know him really well. Hopefully, we pitch well against him.”
Though Santander no longer wears the Orioles’ colors, his impact on the franchise is undeniable. Now, Baltimore must find a way to replace his production while preparing to compete against him as an opponent.