The Baltimore Orioles will be preparing for a key offseason this winter, as the franchise hopes to keep building on recent success.
In 2024, the Orioles were able to make the playoffs as a Wild Card team, but were unfortunately eliminated in a sweep against the Kansas City Royals.
Baltimore dealt with a lot of injuries this season, which limited their potential in the postseason. Now, they will be heading into the offseason with two of their best players from 2024 as free agents.
Both Corbin Burnes and Anthony Santander will be hitting free agency, as the Orioles know that they will have to spend this winter. Of the two free agents, it’s more likely that Baltimore prioritizes keeping Burnes, as they have a few options that could replace some of the production of their star outfielder.
However, if the Orioles do lose Santander, it will be a big blow to a lineup that relied on his power.
In free agency, the slugger should be highly sought after as one of the best power hitters in free agency. There has been a lot of speculation about where he might land, and Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report recently named the San Diego Padres as the worst possible landing spot.
“Santander might not be the best target for a Padres team that also plays its home games in a park that does not favor offense. With Jackson Merrill in center field and Fernando Tatis Jr. in right field, the Padres will have a hole to fill in left field if Jurickson Profar departs for greener pastures. However, given his more well-rounded skill set and likely a more reasonable asking price, re-signing Profar might be the best move for San Diego.”
The Padres had an excellent 2024 season, as they were able to go five games against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Division Series. San Diego did come up a bit short, as their offense disappeared in the last two games of the series.
Even though the offense underperformed in the final two games of the season, splurging on Santander likely isn’t the wisest move for them. The Padres have a well-balanced offense, but in a pitcher’s park like Petco Field, having someone who relies on home runs likely isn’t the best plan.
While the Padres might not be a good landing spot, there should be plenty of suitors for Santander this winter.
