Houston Astros Linked to 40-Plus Home Run Slugger From AL Contender in Free Agency

The Houston Astros offense would get a big boost if they landed the Baltimore Orioles switch hitter in the winter.

Sep 24, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander (25) scores a run during the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros clearly had some issues in their lineup throughout the 2024 campaign. When healthy, this was still one of the better offenses in the league, but the bottom half of their lineup wasn't good enough to compete with some of the other best teams in the league.

With the possibility of losing Alex Bregman in the offseason, the need for an extra bat becomes more important.

Even if they bring Bregman back, this should be the offseason the front office goes out and makes the moves they have to. They haven't necessarily been aggressive in free agency throughout much of the past decade, despite how good they've been. 

One interesting free agent who hits the market this winter is Anthony Santander. Santander, who last played for the Baltimore Orioles, hit 44 home runs during the season. 

It's uncertain what his market will look like, but the expectation is that he'll get around $100 million, a fair price for a switch-hitting outfielder who could leave the yard at any moment. 

He does have some defensive concerns, but when a guy hits 40-plus home runs, it's easy to look past those. 

Searching for ways to improve their team in the offseason, Christopher Kline of FanSided listed three players they should target, including Santander. 

"It is more than fair to wonder if Santander can maintain that level of production. His slugging numbers have been trending in the right direction for a couple years, but this is very much a one-off in the broader context of Santander's career so far. That said, at 29 years old, the rightfielder should have plenty left in the tank. Even if his home run numbers take a step back in 2025, this season was quietly Santander's worst in batting average since 2018. He should stabilize (even improve) in other area... Stacking Yordan Alvarez and Anthony Santander in the middle of the lineup would strike fear into pitching staffs leaguewide. Houston probably gets outbid in the end, but Santander won't quite reach the apex of free agent deals handed out this winter."

As Kline wrote, having Santander with some of the other power guys in the Astros' lineup would be a massive help.

Considering the ugly exit and parts of the year not going as planned, Houston has to understand their dynasty could be coming to an end in the near future. If they want to extend that window, signing a bat like Santander would be wise.