The Orioles ran out the same three outfielders each Opening Day between 2021 and ’24: Cedric Mullins, Anthony Santander, and Austin Hays. And in each year from 2020-23, Mullins, Santander, and Hays were Baltimore’s three primary outfielders. This past season, however, Colton Cowser broke out with a phenomenal rookie campaign, cementing his position in the outfield at Camden Yards for years to come. Facing a logjam in the lineup, the Orioles dealt Hays to the Phillies ahead of the trade deadline, officially splitting up the Mullins/Santander/Hays triumvirate. Santander could be next to leave; after the conclusion of the World Series, he will become a free agent. Thus, for the first time in a long time, the Orioles’ outfield could look quite different on Opening Day 2025.
There is no doubt that Cowser will have a job in the Orioles’ outfield next season. Not only did he hit 24 home runs with a 120 wRC+ in 2024, but he did so while playing strong defense. The 24-year-old compiled 11 OAA and 3 DRS over 809 2/3 innings in left field, 310 innings in center, and 73 innings in right. He made just one error all year. Cowser is under team control through at least the 2029 season, and he will not be eligible for arbitration until at least 2027.
Mullins should be a lock for the 2025 outfield as well, although the Orioles will have to tender him a contract as he enters his final year of arbitration eligibility. Matt Swartz’s model estimates Mullins would earn approximately $8.7MM next year, a $2.375MM raise from his $6.325MM salary this season. That’s a bargain for a player like Mullins, even with his 2021 All-Star campaign getting smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. He has been roughly league-average at the plate over the past two seasons (102 wRC+) while providing plenty of value on the bases (51-for-60 in stolen base attempts) and playing a premium defensive position. Different metrics disagree about his talents in center field, but ultimately, the versions of WAR at both FanGraphs and Baseball Reference agree he has been a valuable contributor. From 2023-24, Mullins compiled 4.2 fWAR and 5.3 bWAR. There’s a chance the Orioles would consider moving Mullins to a corner and giving Cowser the center field job; including college and the minors, Cowser has more experience in center field than any other position. Mullins and his league-average bat would be less valuable in a corner spot, but a $8.7MM salary would still be a team-friendly price for his services.
As for the final spot in the outfield, plenty of fans would love to see Santander back next season (and for several more to come), but it’s unclear how intently the Orioles will pursue the All-Star slugger in free agency. They will surely make him the qualifying offer, and he just as will surely decline. He is likely seeking a multi-year deal worth at least $20MM per season. General manager Mile Elias is hoping to increase payroll this winter in his first full offseason working under new owner David Rubenstein, but it’s unclear how much money he’ll have to work with. More to the point, Elias might prfer to spend the majority of his resources improving a pitching staff that finished 14th in MLB in ERA and 10th in FanGraphs WAR rather than an offense that finished fourth in runs scored and third in wRC+. Santander will be a big loss for the offense, but ace Corbin Burnes, another impending free agent, will be an even bigger departure for Elias to address. With all that said, the Orioles might stick with their internal options to replace Santander in 2025.
Baltimore would love for 25-year-old Heston Kjerstad to step up and fill that role. The lefty batter put up ludicrous numbers in the minors this past season, batting .300 with a .998 OPS and 152 wRC+ in 56 games at Triple-A. His big league numbers (.745 OPS, 116 wRC+ in 39 games) weren’t bad, especially not for a rookie, but some of the underlying metrics suggest he’s due for regression (.301 xwOBA compared to a .327 wOBA), and his 28.9% strikeout rate was concerningly high for a hitter who wasn’t showing off plus power or plate discipline. Moreover, his outfield defense wasn’t particularly impressive in a small sample size (-1 DRS, -1 FRV). Kjerstad has the tools to be a terrific player, but he’ll to take a step forward at the plate if he’s going to provide above-average value as a defensively-limited corner outfielder.
Another option to play some corner outfield for the Orioles next year could be Coby Mayo, who is currently the team’s top prospect according to Baseball America and MLB Pipeline. Throughout his brief professional career, Mayo has mostly played third base. Aside from his strong arm, however, he has never graded out as a top-notch defender at the hot corner. So, with Gunnar Henderson and Jordan Westburg already entrenched in the Orioles’ infield and Jackson Holliday not going anywhere, Mayo’s future might need to be somewhere else. He has experience playing first base as well, and that could be his long-term position. But considering his terrific throwing arm, it makes sense that he would give the outfield a try. To that point, Elias recently suggested right field could be an option for the 22-year-old, though he made it clear the organization still views him as an infielder, and primarily a first baseman, going forward (per
Two more internal options to keep in mind are prospects Dylan Beavers and Enrique Bradfield Jr. Beavers, 23, is the team’s No. 5 prospect according to FanGraphs, No. 6 according to MLB Pipeline, and No. 7 according to Baseball America. He hit well enough at Double-A in 2024 (15 HR, 118 wRC+ in 119 games) to earn a brief promotion to Triple-A at the end of the season. He’s also a plus runner with the potential to be a capable big league center fielder. Bradfield, 22, is a few months younger and a little further away from the majors; he moved up from High-A to Double-A this past August. However, most sources agree he is the slightly more promising prospect. FanGraphs and MLB Pipeline have him at No. 4, while Baseball America has him at No. 6. He boasts 80-grade speed and has the skills to be an elite defensive center fielder. As for his bat, he has little power to speak of, so he’ll need to prove he can maintain his impressive bat-to-ball skills against tougher competition. Neither Beavers nor Bradfield needs protection from the Rule 5 draft this offseason, and neither is a likely candidate to make the Opening Day roster out of camp. However, their relative proximity to the majors could be a reason why the Orioles avoid signing a free agent outfielder to a multi-year deal.
Finally, the Orioles will have to decide whether or not to pick up Ryan O’Hearn’s $8MM club option for 2025. O’Hearn is primarily a first baseman and DH, but he played 27 games in the outfield last season. The 31-year-old slashed .264/.334/.427 with 15 home runs and a 119 wRC+ in 2024, good for 1.7 fWAR. If he can repeat that performance next season, an $8MM salary would be more than fair, but with Kjerstad and Mayo in need of playing time, the Orioles might prefer to spend that $8MM elsewhere.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
How will it look in 2025? PRETTY GOOD
is that your tldr/cliff notes version of this article?
I think it’ll look green….couple of white lines on the sides….some dirt and a wall…..
Santander mashing in a Mariners uniform next year would boost the offense. Not sure if he’d be too pricey though.
When was Tampa Bay’s ring?
Cleveland and the Padres can win their first World Series this year. I’m tired of the big market small market stuff. The Bucs and KC spend the money for football, as well as others. It’s bad owners who won’t spend to win and hide behind the small market curtain. The Marlins have won twice.
When was Cleveland’s ring?
When did the white Sox win?
The Chicago White Sox won the World Series in 2005…
Another playoff sweep?
48 seasons since the mariners won a penna- oh wait that’s never happened
By no means an expert but I’d really love to see Coby Mayo be able to find a spot in the outfield. So that way Basallo once ready could go to 1st/DH regularly
Why would you want a player that strikes out over 50% of the time. He definitely isn’t ready to be handed a roster spot.
Ok bud
Aaron Judge struck out in 50% of his ABs in his first season. You willing to give him a shot to figure it out?
Maybe in spring training. You aren’t planning your upcoming year around him.
Is aaron judge the only example you could find of a player striking out 50% of the time?
Sure let’s never give the orioles prospects a shot because the best player in baseball struck out 50% of the time in his rookie season so we don’t want the chance of making multiple Aaron judges and multiple 1.000 OPSs
Playoffs are outlier, anybody can get hot, Bobby Witt Jr 0-9! Last year D-Backs and Texas were both outliers!
Are you seriously trying to judge Mayo on 46 PA?
When you are determining your opening day roster of course I am. I’m not saying his garbage. I’m saying he’s not your starting outfielder or in on your mlb roster next year until he proves something. The 46 AB’s were horrendous.
Looks like it will be:
Colton Cowser
Cedric Mullins
Teoscar Hernández
Cowser, Mullins, Soto. Kjerstad #4 with Bradfield and Beavers getting a look see.
@C Yards Jeff
But… but… I thought the Mets are signing Soto to $1B?
Are the O’s going to pay him $1.1B?
I feel ya Old York. Here’s my angle. After a 101 win season, the Orioles were onky 19th in home attendance this year. And they didn’t sell out either playoff game. 4000+/- seats short game 1 and 9k game 2. Owners call here. Bring in the proven young star power position player to get fannys in seats.
Soto’s contract won’t be paid for with a couple thousand tickets. Weather was garbage on Tuesday & the games started at 4 on a weekday. If that’s a FRI/SAT game it’s a different story.
Soto will be wearing someone else’s uni next year.
jbigz12
Yep, those tickets wouldn’t cover Soto’s salary but it would put a dent in it thus bringing it in line with what you’d pay for a lesser FA player or 2 like a Santander.
Agree to disagree on post season attendance woahs. Weather wasn’t the issue. It was poor play over a couple of months with no playoff tested proven position studs in the line up to give the fan base confidence that they’d be competitive.
All said, I see him in the Bronx for years to come.
2025 it’s gonna be cowser Mullins kjerstad and 2026 is Mullins being replaced by Bradfield
This is the most logical scenario.
Idk if bradfield’s bat will be enough for an everyday role. His glove and speed will play as a 4th Of’er for sure though.
Cowser Tatis Profar
Hopefully Santander will be patrolling a corner/DH role for their bird rivals come spring
Mullins should be a trade candidate his splits against lhp makes it questionable for him to get 9 mil from the orioles other teams with higher payrolls would be open to pay for that.
Red flag to whomever signs Santander, he’s going to get popped for roids next year.
Ķarensjer, you know something we don’t?
He went from hitting like 20 HRs to 40 and he’s been around for awhile so it’s not like he’s hitting his prime. Just seems fishy to me.
Stupid Karen comment.
How original. Any more zingers?
He’s always had plus power. He hit 28 last year and 33 in 2022. The years prior to that he had at least 200 fewer PAs and was often hurt.
And he is in his prime. He’s 29.
lol no
Would love to see Santander as the Yankees 1B next year
I’m gonna take a pass on him. He profiles like another Stanton with less batted exit velocity and will require a pricey, long-term commitment. I’d rather give a short-term Goldschmidt a shot to rebound.
Or if Goldschmidt isn’t an option, you still have DJ to man 1B!
I kid but you know that’s Cashman’s plan in the offseason…
Don’t give Hal any ideas because a $300MM payroll isn’t sustainable for him and the second richest franchise in pro sports.
I’d rather have someone who has already proven he mashes in Yankee Stadium. Goldy is washed, pretty sure I saw even his stellar defense is now average-ish
@kevnames42 I just don’t want Santander in RF or LF which is where he’ll want to play. He’s already slow-footed and if he loses a step the OF defense isn’t going to be good with Judge, Santander, and Dominguez. Who knows about Soto? Selling him to play 1B is another story. Goldy allows them to keep 1B open for Ben Rice who needs more AAA time.
Does hitting talent change from stadium to stadium?
@yankeesbleachercreature I wouldn’t worry about giving Rice time to develop, I doubt he’s anything more than a backup C/1B on a contending team. and you’re right I don’t want Santander in the OF either, he has 1B experience. We have a full OF already even if Soto doesn’t re-sign
@joggin’george I wouldn’t say talent changes, but some players feel more comfortable and have better stats in some parks rather than others. Santander has great numbers in Yankee Stadium, which I would like to stop being against them lol
I’d generally say that a Goldshmidt rebound is a bad bet but the Yanks have a great track record of squeezing another quality year out if seemingly washed up vets at the end of their career.
Yankees can only sign Soto
Or they sign Santander’/ Walker and either Adames/Bregman for the same money. They might be better off. O’s need to spend money to improve or they end up like the Rays! They become an almost team.
Pass on O’Hearn,or keep him OUT of the OF.
I would think he’d have some decent trade value at 8 million on a one year deal. So even if they don’t have a spot for him, I think they’d exercise the option and trade him.
Hoping Kjerstad has a year two like Cowser did.
Cept for the final at bat!
Are you talking about the pinch hit at bat with 2 outs in the 9th inning against Lucas Erceg? His first at bat of the game? Dude, Lucas Erceg strikeout Juan Soto and Aaron Judge back-to-back on Saturday night in the 8th inning and those were their fifth at bats of the game. And both of those guys are Top-5 hitters in MLB with tons of postseason experience. Kjerstad’s at bat against Erceg was the first one of his career. LOL.
Kjerstad is a significantly better hitter than Cowser and will have a significantly better year two than him if given the same amount of playing time. Even despite being up and down and inconsistent at bats, Kjerstad managed to produce a .351 OBP in 2024, which would rank 25th in MLB amongst Qualified Hitters. And he hits lefties A LOT better than Cowser. Kjerstad hit .375 against vs LHP in 2024 (18 PA). And remember, the one time he got to play regularly, he posted a 1.147 OPS from 6/23 – 7/12 before going on the I.L. with a concussion.
Where does Santander sign next year I wonder…
Would be happy for the Mets to add him as an OF/DH.
But I thought Soto was a lock to sign there. Guess they may as well sign both.
Realistic Mets fans know he’s going to the Bronx, which is fine. Mets need starting pitching first and foremost, then a solid bat or two.
Giants.
If the season started today it would be Kjerstad/Mullins/Cowser.
I don’t see the Orioles paying for Soto when starting pitching needs to be top priority and Burnes is going to be expensive if they try to keep him
Why does SP rank over their abysmal 2nd half offense?
Probably because their Opening Day rotation with no additions projects to be:
Grayson Rodriguez
Zach Eflin
Dean Kremer
Albert Suarez
Cade Povich
Wait….are Bradish/Means not going to be ready by opening day?
That means no
That abysmal second half also featured long absences by Jordan Westburg, Ryan Mountcastle and Jorge Mateo. Getting full seasons from Westburg, Jackson Holliday and Kjerstad would be huge offensive upgrades.
Doubtful. Mateo is not a meaningful hitter. Mounty has stopped hitting for power.
Holliday and Kjerstad are not offensive upgrades. They are unproven.
And regardless, your excuse makes no mention of the absolute situational failures of Rutschman, Gunnar, Cowser, Santander, and really anyone not named Ramon Urias to hit with RISP.
The first half was all about homers. The second half showed the offense has a massive hole – no consistency or clutch hitting. Without fixing that, the pitching is irrelevant as Burnes showed – without runs, nothing matters.
Santander’s bat and Burns might be irreplaceable! Even resigning them might not give the O’s the same result. They are contenders and that’s it!
I’m fine with handing RF to Kjerstad after Santander departs in free agency, but I definitely would like to add a RHB that hits lefties well and can play a solid CF to platoon with Mullins.
Harrison Bader maybe?
Totally agree. Plant Kjerstad in RF every day and let him bloom. A RHB that can play a solid CF is a must-add for the Orioles. Somebody better than Austin Hays, but I wouldn’t rule out a reunion if he is non-tendered by the Phillies and the Orioles can get him for a cheap price (e.g., $5M)..
Neither Mullins or Cowser hit lefties well. Bader is a good call.
Mateo can play outfield too and has actually looked quite well there in limited opportunities with the Birds. I think he had more experience with OF before coming to Baltimore.
Tyler O’Neill makes a lot of sense here for a team that has LH hitters at all 3 OF spots and DH. It would be pretty similar to his situation in Boston and when he was healthy he’d mash.
O’s could go with a very cheap lineup next year:
C – Rutschmann, 1B – Mayo, 2B – Holiday, 3B – Westburg, SS – Henderson, OF – Cowser, Hjerstad and Mullins, DH – Basallo
It will be interesting to see which, if any, of Santander ($20M+), Mateo ($3.2M), Urias ($3.1M), O’Hearn ($8M) and Mountcastle ($6.6M) they bring back as individually each is rather expensive for a non prominent role on a low budget team.
I’m not sure we’re going to be a “low budget team” going forward though- the new ownership has indicated that payroll is going to increase meaningfully from the (thankfully over) John Angelos era, and we got up to around $160-170 million during our last competitive window in the 2010s, which put us in the 10-15th highest payroll range IIRC.
That said, I would look into trading Mountcastle (Pirates or Mariners maybe?) for a couple of pitching prospects that our scouts like and reallocating his arb money towards something else, like a solid platoon partner for Mullins in CF. It would probably be a better use of finite resources and it opens an everyday spot in the lineup for Mayo or a FA bat if there’s someone out there that they really like- Santander, Alonso, Hernandez, Walker, etc.
As a Mariner’s fan, I’d love to see Mountcastle come in to be the weak side 1B platoon partner for Raley. Maybe an offer around Emerson Hancock or Michael Morales could make sense?
I’d also love to see the O’s spend and really make themselves full blooded contenders. If they went to $150M again, they could easily keep Burnes. However, the fact that they weren’t in the Snell bidding last year makes me skeptical.
Something like that. Obviously Mountcastle isn’t going to land a top-tier pitching prospect, but blocked older guys and younger guys with good stuff but in need of further development should be in play.
And the full ownership change only happened right before the season started, so this upcoming offseason is their first real shot to throw their weight around a little.
Snell had many red flags. Lots of teams stayed home when he was available. Burnes has few. More teams will be watching his market.
Burnes has few.
=======================
Just imho, it feels like Burnes has a lot. His K/9 rate has dropped 4 straight years. That’s unusual, and imo, a sign of an injury. And a 2.43 ERA in the 1st half and 3.69 in the 2nd half. Highest EV in 5 years.
Those numbers combined are less than what Santander will likely get on the open market so there is zero reason not to bring any of them back. They may even be able to dangle Mateo and/or Urias as trade bait
I think they would be smart to “give” the job to Kjerstad while picking up a veteran 4th OF that could be good enough to work as a decent starter in case Kjerstad fails or humble enough to be a bench outfielder in case he does not. Something like the Rockies did with Jake Cave in 2024. Never going to be a star, but is reliable enough to give you quality ABs and good defense while keeping the seat warm for someone younger. Not sure exactly who would be available to fill that role, but there are always 5-10 guys that available even at the end of spring.
Can’t have all 3 full time outfielders be left handed
Why not? Will the stadium implode or something? If they are good enough to play, it shouldn’t matter what had they throw with. Just have your 4th and 5th outfielder be righties or switch hitters and it’ll work out. If your biggest roster problem is that all three of your starting outfielders throw with the same hand, you don’t have that many problems.
I am guessing ….
Santander – receives & rejects Qualified Offer, signs FA deal elsewhere.
Mateo – likely back was a super utility guy with more focus on CF/LF.
Urias – 100% back
O’Hearn – club option picked up, but possibly traded before opening day and replaced by a veteran LHH 1B/DH.
Mountcastle – tendered, but likely traded before opening day and replaced by Mayo.
Santander had a great year at the right time. Another team is going to overpay for him. I don’t see it likely that he will be back.
That leaves Kjerstad to pick up the open position, along with Mullins and Cowser as starting OF.
I think Mayo gets a shot, and either (but not both) Mountcastle and O’Hearn are trade options (O’Hearn a sign-and-trade, Mountcastle tendered). O’Hearn was the better player this year, but Mountcastle continues to be seen as having a higher ceiling. They hedge way too much to let both go.
The DH will be a hodgepodge: O’Hearn/Mountcastle, Adley, Kjerstad, etc. I think a 4th OF who is good against lefties to work into this along with the DH mix too. But not a roster spot occupier. Someone productive who can hit at least solidly league average. Either OF prospect in the minors is probably a year away at least.
Of course Holliday/Westburg/Henderson/Mayo – will be interesting to see if any move after Henderson got the bobbles in the 2nd half. Urias is the UIF, both defensively versatile and can actually hit. Mateo is a non-tender.
I don’t think Basallo gets a look until at least late 2026.
Interested to see what the new ownership group allows once things get going in the offseason.
I’m more interested to see what they do with their rotation next year. Maybe one of Suarez/Povich/Kremer could take the fifth spot over a full season but they look like they’re going to need at least two more guys to slot in to the middle.
The benefit of being able to be so cheap on offense means they could invest more in the rotation/bullpen. I’d think it’d be a very disappointing season if they don’t end up with at least one of Burnes, Snell, Flaherty, Fried or Gray.
A rotation of one of the above, Rodriguez, Eflin, Povich and Kramer would be okay. If they traded for someone like Hancock that’d make sense as well. The Bradish injury really is brutal though as they were set up so well to have an incredible big 3…
I say it’s Gray. True, his deal has a high annual, but much shorter term then what the others you mentioned will be getting sans Flaherty. In otherwords; Gray is a better future fit for the small market team model.
Why in God’s green hell would the O’s want Flaherty? Been there, done that, not a good fit.
Because in 2025 he looked like a completely different pitcher. He also is still quite young for free agency (29 years old).
He also is likely to be considerably cheaper than Burnes (30, O’s will receive a pick if signs elsewhere from QO), Snell (32) or Fried (31 and would come with a QO).
Not in his last four starts. He’s just not good. This year, like 2019, is an aberration in a career of mediocrity.
Plus, Flaherty acted like a spoiled child throughout his time in Baltimore. Not a good fit. That was obvious.
Best bet IMO from what the options currently are:
Cowser-LF
Mullins-CF
Kjerstad-RF
Could see them pursue a low end 4th OF option (Austin Hays if Philly non-tenders??—don’t underscore the clubhouse factor)
Mateo comes back and plays super utility. Would love to see him get more run at SS with Gunnar sliding to 3rd on occasion. Seemed like Gunnar ran out of gas at end of season.
1st base is an interesting dilemma depending on what they decide to do with Mounty/O’hearn. Ohearn seems reasonable at 8mil to have as a flexible lefty. Mounty is wildly inconsistent with the bat, plays decent D but I feel that could be a position of potential upgrade or go for a big OF fish and slide Kjerstad to 1st.
Another interesting piece of the puzzle is backup Catcher. McCann would be preferred choice IMO but he might be able to find more PT elsewhere and the O’s won’t pay him $5mil a season to be a #2.
A lot of decisions to be made but still looking at a very solid core of Gunnar, Adley, Westy, Cowser, and Mullins.
McCann played a LOT this year.
And Hays was reportedly part of the clubhouse problem, not the solution.
Not sure how well the writer knows the Os. First staff level stats are useless in their case. Finishing 10th after losing Bradish, Means and Wells for nearly whole season (not to mention Felix) and losing Webb, Coulombe and Rodriquez for big chunks makes being 10th amazing. Yes losing Burnes hurts especially when Bradish probably isn’t full strength until the second half but it can be managed.
Yes they were 4th in runs but without Santander they won’t be again.
Not sure Mullins is a lock. His defense is outstanding but in decline and his OBA in 23 and 24 was just 305.
Kjerstad is a DH – Os just need to accept that. You don’t move a rookie – Mayo – to a position he’s never played before. He moves to first next year and Mountcastle is gone.
Needs – at least one starter probably 2 to see how guys come back, one outfielder if they lose Tony – hopefully someone that adds so RH punch and a bit more bullpen depth.
Questions – can Holliday actually play in the majors? Will they bring back Means. How many kids can you play at once and win in post season. They need some veterans to mix in.
Might need to revamp there approach to hitting – maybe some new faces.
Same old faces = same old feces
I agree with this entirely. The team-level stats don’t tell the story. Without Santander, this team would’ve been WAY less competitive in the second half – I doubt they make wild card at all, without him.
The pitching held up well. I am not that concerned over the pitching. I am vastly more concerned with how the position group evolves – three months of zero offense was as glaring a red flag as I’ve ever seen. Total incompetence.
Pirates need hitters, Orioles need pitching!? Keller and another MLB ready pitcher for hitting?
Personally, I don’t want the O’s to re-sign Santander. Despite his power bat, his low OBP, lack of hustle, and average defense suggest he is overrated. He usually takes terrible at bats in big situations, trying to do too much (see playoffs for example). He never hustles!!! Actually he is the only player on the entire team that didn’t hustle. He never runs out a ground ball. He will be expensive to re-sign and I’d much prefer save the money for Burnes or another pitcher with good OF prospects in house.
All of the evaluation of Santander is somewhat beside the point. The QO comp is a Top 30 draft choice. That’s an earlier pick than Westburg, Gunnar, Norby, Ortiz, etc. Elias has hit on those picks every year so far and they’ll get a second bonus pick with Burnes, a third one with the CB pick and maybe a fourth with ROY.
4-5 picks in the Top 35? A bonus pool in the $22-25 m range? You don’t dilute that to sign Santander, no matter how much you love him.
I think Elias actually builds on that by trading to pick up additional CB picks for the continuing IF surplus (not to mention 3 1B options, Mounty, OHearn and Mayo, with Basallo in the wings).
Yes sign some grindy banjo hitter instead while the Yankees mash
Santander absolutely does hustle – for extra bases and in the outfield. I have no qualms with him not busting it to first, he’s had so many leg issues that I think it’s more important to the season that he not hurt himself running out a grounder – a la Mateo in 2022.
As an Os fan, I can tell you that every organization should value Santander as a premium asset beyond his statistics. He works hard, teammates love him and he’s totally unselfish. Wherever he goes, he should be a fan favorite.
Santander seems like a great person and I have to assume he is a great teammate, since I’m not in the locker room and haven’t heard anything negative. However, he will cost too much for a player with low OBP, average defense, and no hustle. Especially when you have multiple, cheaper and exciting prospects that actually do hustle waiting in the wings.
Not hustling is selfish and a bad example to set on a team full of young players. There is no excuse for not controlling the things you can control. Hustle never slumps. As an Orioles fan, I wouldn’t mind to see him in a different uniform next year. I like it when Yankees don’t run out ground balls.
So will he take a discount on his contract next year since he doesn’t run out ground balls? Didn’t think so. You have to control the things you can control, like hustling. Even Rutschman runs out ground balls hard on his catcher legs. Bad example to set on a team full of younger players.
Stupid take. Tony is an excellent example of work ethic and playing with heart. Quit whining.
Kjerstad and Mayo will compete in spring training for a corner OF spot.
Elias will focus on pitching this offseason. That may not mean bringing back Burnes, but that seems like the logical area to focus on.
Max Fried should be their no. 1 target, followed by a long list of FA mid tier SP. Burnes and Eflin for 2026 need to be back filled. Perfect situation for signing guys like Maenea, Wacha, Severino, etc to 2/35 or 5/50 contracts to cover the window when all of their position players are inexpensive.
They’re in a great position to pick up quality pitching, very analogous to the Royals in the last offseason.
Next year it’s gonna be Cowser Mullins and Kjerstad. I don’t see a reason for them to trade or buy an outfielder
Santander is gone. RF is Kjerstand’s to lose at this point. The O’s sign a cheaper, veteran OF’er to be a 4th. They put money into pitching this offseason and pray that the younger players take a step up in 2025. That’s my prediction.
You guys want to hear a real MLB Rumor? I’m from Burnes’ home town, and I heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend (REO Speedwagon, anyone?) that Burnes has two top choices to sign as a free agent: Arizona, where he built a house; and get this: Anaheim, his favorite team growing up.
Is your moms their maid or something
Burns goes back to nice weather, makes sense to me!