The Marlins have had some trade discussions with the Orioles about outfielder Anthony Santander, Roch Kubatko of MASNsports.com reports (Twitter link). The depth of these talks isn’t known, Kubatko notes, as it could have been due diligence on the Marlins’ part rather than a sign that Santander could be heading to Miami or anywhere.
Santander enjoyed something of a breakout performance during the abbreviated 2020 season, hitting .261/.315/.575 with 11 home runs over 165 plate appearances before an oblique injury ended his season on September 4. A look at the advanced metrics reveals some interesting details, as Santander didn’t make much hard contact or take many walks, but he also didn’t get much batted-ball luck in the form of a .248 BABIP.
Still, between some strong right field defense and 31 homers in 570 PA since the start of the 2019 season, Santander has made himself a key part of Baltimore’s rebuilding effort. He turned 26 last October and is controlled through the 2024 season, as Santander is a Super Two player and only became arbitration-eligible for the first time this winter. (The two sides are scheduled for a hearing to determine Santander’s 2021 salary, with the outfielder looking for $2.475MM and the Orioles offering $2.1MM.)
This combination of talent and cost-effective team control would make Santander an attractive trade possibility for many teams, but particularly a Marlins club that is looking to both continue contending for the postseason without too much of a budget stretch. The switch-hitting Santander would also help balance out a Miami lineup heavy on right-handed batters. Garrett Cooper is currently slated to handle right field for the Marlins, but the team would have plenty of room to find at-bats for everyone if the DH returned to the National League in 2021. Since Starling Marte and Corey Dickerson are both free agents after the season, Santander would also be a longer-term outfield addition that could fill the void if either player departed.
Whether the Orioles see Santander as a long-term piece is another intriguing element, as a case could be made that the O’s should try to sell high on Santander now (or perhaps before the 2021 trade deadline) if they don’t think he’ll still be a prime contributor by the time Baltimore is ready to contend. Given that the Orioles still have a long ways to go in their rebuild, they might not be ready to compete by 2024, Santander’s age-29 season and his last under team control.
The Orioles’ financial situation adds another wrinkle, as The Athletic’s Dan Connelly reports that the team offered salary deferrals to Santander and Trey Mancini when talking to both players about their 2021 contracts. Both turned down the offers, which would have seen around 25% of their salary pushed ahead to 2022 or 2023. Mancini ended up avoiding arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $4.75MM deal.
Deferrals are a common element of contract negotiations, yet the idea of deferring money on a one-year arbitration contract was unheard of among “multiple agents and baseball arbitration experts…contacted for this story,” Connolly writes. While the deferral offers could have just been some creativity on the part of GM Mike Elias, Connolly also wonders if the offers were indicative of how little the Orioles might have to spend in the wake of 2020’s revenue losses. If this is the case, the O’s might look to try and deal Santander, perhaps attaching him to a larger contract (i.e. Alex Cobb and his $15MM salary) to clear as much money as possible off the books.
In other revenue news, The Athletic’s Brittany Ghiroli reports that the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (owned by both the Orioles and the Nationals) has made significant cuts, including several prominent on-air personalities. “This is a cash-flow problem, and there’s apparently not a lot of it,” a source said. Changes include the reduction of the pre-game and post-game shows from 30 to 15 minutes, with the broadcasters at the ballpark handling these shows rather than studio hosts and analysts. If the Orioles or Nationals want to continue the usual pre-game and post-game shows, MASN has informed the teams that they will have to fund them, rather than the network.
Santander is controlled much longer than 2023. I don’t understand why that’s been stated 4 times in here. It’s 2021 and he’s a super 2 this offseason. 2025 is what you mean. And yes, I would hope the Orioles are competitive by 2025
2024, actually. He’ll be a FA after the 2024 season.
You’re Right, after the 2024 season. Competitive before 2025 is what I was trying to say there. Which I would hope that the Orioles are competitive by.
Well, according to the writer, “they might not be ready to compete by 2024.” I view them as entering a legit competitive phase by 2023.
Pc load letter?!
Lol
Why is BABIP so consistently used wrong? It’s almost always regarded as a “luck” stat. Which can be a component, but that’s not all there is to it. This article says he didn’t have much luck with it in the same breath it says he didn’t have a high rate of “hard hit balls”… if he’s hitting softly into play, that’s not bad luck that’s just bad contact.
I would be thrilled if Tigs traded for both Mancini and Santander. They need a 1b, and a young-competent OF never hurts on this roster..
What if they wanted Tarik Skubal and another Top 20 piece like Gage Workman in return? Trades don’t come for free.
If DET could get Mancini, Santander, and Severino IMO I would say yes, for Skubal
DET needs positional talent.. and that would be a nice return. What do you think?
Skubal is the Tigers highest rated pitching prospect. Makes no sense to trade 6 years for 3. If anything, Baltimore would have to add the extra.
True Stymeedone.. yeah, it would be difficult for anyone (especially a rebuilding team) to trade a player like Skubal. Even more so after the Faedo and Wentz TJ news.
I really like the 3 mentioned players. Mancini/Jones/Grossman/Santander-OF
Candy/Castro(s)/Goodrum/Paredes-IF intrigues me. It’s definitely a step forward IMO. And who knows, maybe Kumar Rocker drops to #3 in the draft?
It’s tough.. I see an argument for both sides
They need to figure out what they’re doing with Boyd and Norris; extend or trade. Just don’t lose them in FA for nothing during these down years..
Never going to happen
If the O’s traded Mancini, the fans would riot. Also, didn’t they just draft Torkelson to be the 1B of the future?
Yupp! But, (IMO) Detroit has an immediate need at 1b and OF.. I honestly don’t expect Tork to be up anytime soon.
I just can’t get why they would want to move Santander, whose pretty much their only player (Mancini’s illness and limited skill set considered). Guy’s a good hitter, sound, at least, defensively, and still relatively cheap, for a team like the O’s.
The deferrals into 2022? Just getting ready for the inevitable work stoppage.
Mancini’s limited skill set? What are you talking about?
If the Os are having that bad of a problem, trade Gary Thorne to the Yankees!!!
Thorne was let go
Hate to see Thorne go as the Yankees will unfortunately stick with Michael Kay. He won’t be unemployed any longer than he wants though.
Is Palmer gone as well?
Nope. Palmer is staying. Thorne, Bordick, Tom Davis, Dempsey, Dave Johnson and Jim Hunter all gone.
Yet they keep Scott Garceau who is just terrible. The most vanilla announcer I think I’ve ever seen.
Gary Thorne is officially a free agent. Contract wasn’t renewed. I’m predicting 9/325 to the Padres.
Too bad about Thorne; I was a HUGE fan. The clear dictation, and he did hid homework (or at least had somebody do it for him), and the occasional (or more) off-the-highway comments were rich. I used to watch him call NHL games…and I don’t even like hockey.
But he ain’t getting younger either, and I’m sure he carried a hefty price tag. I’ll miss him. But, as a lawyer by trade, I’m sure there’s work for him if he needs it, in either field.
“Hang on to the roof…”
Santander and Cobb is really not a bad package deal! The money is the problem here but both could be of help to a team that can afford to take on the contracts! Cobb pitched well and he’s not a bad arm at the back end of a good rotation.
You know packaging him with Cobb for salary relief isn’t a bad idea. Cobb could rebound to be a decent 5th starter for someone and Santander a 4th outfielder.
They are literally a poverty franchise, that is embarrassing.
Well they have more #1 overall picks in the pipeline than most teams in baseball so their fortunes can change fairly soon.
If their billionaire owner is resorting to deferrals on one year arb cases, they are desperately going to need new ownership before they are ready to compete.
When you waste the #2 overall pick on a player who was arguably not a top 10 pick because you’re too cheap to pay a better prospect, the value of those high picks is diminished. Too bad you can’t trade picks in MLB.
Disagree with this logic, as they spent the Kjerstad savings on two high schoolers with high ceilings. Unfortunately that strategy may have already backfired as the pitcher is getting TJ. Orioles fans will forever compare Kjerstad’s career to Austin Martin though.
This is a really dumb take, they spent their entire bonus pool available to them, just across several rounds rather than all at once.
And regardless, the O’s are closer than the Tigers or Royals or Pirates, they have a lot of top prospects and a decent young core.
Ooof. Idk if I’d proclaim that the Orioles are closer than the Tigers or Royals. It’s a crapshoot. The Orioles play in the toughest division in baseball. Royals have a ton of young pitching and a softer division. Tigers? Eh, yeah I’d definitely agree with that. Aside from the softer division—they look to be further away.
They literally have 1 number 1 overall pick in their system.
They are not “literally” a poverty franchise. The O’s are worth well over a billion dollars.
Act like it then, franchises like this are a disgrace to the game.
I’m a lifelong fan and it’s insanely embarrassing. They are literally haggling over nickels at this point. The Angelos boys are probably waiting for dad to pass away, as morbid as that may be, to sell the team so they don’t have to pay the capital gains tax.
Also they better damn be ready to contend by 2024. We’re heading into year 3 of the rebuild and there is very little to be excited about.
Wow such vitriol! You need to be so much more patient. Rebuilds take way longer than 3 years, just look at the White Sox…they are in year 11 of their rebuild but have one of the best young cores of talent in the whole game! Give it time, calm down some.
The White Sox rebuild only lasted 3 seasons (2017-2019) and is now over. They tried to compete in 2016 (unsuccessfully) and made the playoffs in 2020.
But the White Sox also hadn’t had a winning season since 2012. Hard to say the rebuild lasted only three seasons when they finished below .500 for seven consecutive years
To be fair this is exactly what the Astros did during their tear down/rebuild launch. Everything was sold to the walls including broadcast announcers. I don’t know if that’s entirely necessary, but it ultimately worked for HOU. If, in fact, Gary Thorne has been shown the door, he won’t be unemployed for even a day.
What a great opportunity for some college students looking to get into communications with MASN. They’re telling us they can’t get entry level (or interns) to help work around their cash flow issues with production and/or studio work?
Santander makes a lot of sense for Miami but I wouldn’t give up a ton for him. Maybe a Harold Ramirez + Neidhart package for Santander and a lottery ticket prospect?
Gives O’s a replacement in Ramirez and a potential No 5 rotation piece in Neidhart on the cheap. Clear one 40 man roster spot for miami.
Could Mancini play LF ???
Wouldn’t mind the Braves gettin him if he could
He’s mostly played LF during his career but he was a 1B in college and the minors.
CAN he play LF, yes. Should he? No. He will probably cost you 1-2WAR defensively in the OF.
Mancini is 1b and DH with spot starts in RF. O’s OF depth is not bad. Santander, Mullins/Hayes, Mountcastle.
I didnt expect the O’s to be serious about trading Santander but hearing they want to defer payments on a 2.1-2.5M one year deal is shocking. Coupled with the fact that the O’s have more intruiging outfielders than they have spots available for, moving the highest value OF’er making the most money makes fiscal sense if you are strapped I guess.
But if they package Santander to a salary dump, i.e. Cobb, they might as well offer Rutschman, Rodriguez, both Hall’s and Kjerstad for a team to take Davis $$ away. If ownership wants to be cheap, why not go all out?
You dont trade valuable players to cry poor when you’re already at the bottom of the sport’s payrolls. Making a salary dump deal is one thing to reposition (Angels dumping Cozart to sign Rendon) but diminishing Santander’s value when you need the best prospects possible is insane. It would clearly show ownership’s lack of interest in returning to contention soon, which is when you really start making money.
Gary Thorne was the only reason to watch an Orioles game. He is simply one of the best in the business.
Any of the Nats broadcasters fired?
With Mountcastle, Austin Hays, DJ Stewart and Cedric Mullins in addition to Mancini coming back from injury, they don’t have room to play everyone.
They need to trade 1 or more for players at different positions or pitchers. I guess other teams are asking for Santander..
They have room to play anyone. Mountcastle can hit, can’t do anything else; Stewart’s a poor man’s version. Mullins is AAAA, and the jury is still out on Hayes (tho I tend to think he’ll be good enough to start on a non-competitive team).
Lots and lots of room in the O’s OF.
What do you mean Mountcastle can only hit and do nothing else. Mountcastle can definitely rake and he can play 1B and 3B. Mullins might take CF from Hayes this year. Stewart is not ready for the bigs yet. He needs more seasoning.
Mullins is the only actual CF they have. He debuted well, then struggled in his first full season and rebounded last year. Hays would be a plus defender in RF and has the potential to hit. He is stretched in CF but could play there to make room at the expense of wasting your own draft pick in Mullins.
Mountcastle hit right from the moment he was given a chance. Stewart had a .355 obp and 7 hr in 90 ab. You might as well play these guys and build up their value just like the team did with former rule 5 pick Santander.
Yusniel Diaz can start in AAA but needs space eventually. Mancini is returning from cancer. The team should release Davis but won’t. The team has already released Nunez because they have too many DH’s.
There is also a ton of free agent veteran hitters you could sign cheap and trade at the deadline. Whereas pitchers won’t sign with the Orioles, in the AL East, unless you give them Alex Cobb money.
Why not trade Santander for pitching prospects? Without a lot of new young pitchers the team isn’t going anywhere anyway.
Come on people the Orioles are not trading either Santander or Mancini. They got a steal from Cleveland on Santander. He is a solid OF with huge upside. And Mancini is the face of the franchise for now.
They did but if they can get a steal from someone else in a trade, they should. If he never overcomes those OBP issues, he will naver make it to first division regular status. However. If he does, he could be a star. Interested how the Os play this one.
hopefully FP Santangelo is one of the cuts. 2nd worst announcer in baseball after John Sterling
Yet still better than the repugnant Rob Dibble.
interesting, the fans can only watch TV, yet, you cut what keeps TV fans entertained, …, is the end near or are fans just sick of the left telling them how to think, act, and feel?
Can We Trade Kubatko? He’s a Joke.
Yeah for sure. Have you ever read the comment section on his blog? He’s allowed it to regress to the point that it’s nothing more than a social club for 12 liberal baby boomers to discuss their bowel movements and the ilk. No baseball talk whatsoever.
I can believe it.
This makes no sense for the Marlins. Why would they start acquiring guys and trading from their farm system when they’re not ready to contend just yet.
I dont disagree. I think the Phillies have shown everyone the danger of moving too early. Realmuto is a FA and never got them over the hump while Sixto Sanchez will pitch against them several times every year for the foreseeable future.
If the O’s do move Santander and/or Mancini what they need in return is a highly rated SS/3B that played in at least full season A ball in 2019.
Wish they’d keep Thorne and dump Palmer.
Thorne is the best announcer in the game IMO. Man I’ll miss him
Just read the rest of the list. They cut everyone basically. Dempsey and Tom Davis were good. Bordick was solid and Jim hunter is an Orioles classic. Gonna be tough to adjust
The entire city of Baltimore is gonna celebrate when Angelos’ pet Roch Kubatko is gone!!! FIRE HIM.
I checked out the Marlins top 30 and the only trade fit I see is Jazz Chisolm. I don’t think the Marlins would go for that straight up for Santander. Maybe Santander and Mancini. Chisolm is no lock though, good defense and power for the position but too aggressive approach with lots of K’s and low batting average. I’d rather wait for Henderson, Westburg or Servedio.