Baltimore Orioles Could Lose Free-Agent Star Anthony Santander to Toronto

The Baltimore Orioles could lose Anthony Santander to the Toronto Blue Jays this offseason in free agency, according to one insider.

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The Baltimore Orioles approach free agency with arguably their two biggest stars on the open market and set to receive bids from other teams.

While Baltimore would love to bring back both superstar ace Corbin Burnes and mashing slugger Anthony Santander, the reality is they are more likely to lose both than retain both.

And if they only keep one, the Orioles would likely — and rightfully so — prioritize Burnes. All this adds up to the inevitable likelihood of Santander playing elsewhere coming off the best season of his career.

There are certain teams who would be worse for Baltimore than others if he were to leave the team and sign elsewhere. Obviously, the Orioles would prefer him to not end up within their own division, but if they choose to not offer the slugger market value, then there may be nothing they can do.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been a surprise contender for Juan Soto and are seemingly willing to do anything it takes financially in order to land him. But in the likely event that they don't sign the best hitter in baseball, they could turn their attention to the much cheaper — albeit less productive — Santander. Manny Randhawa of MLB.com says that he could be someone to stay within the division and sign with Toronto.

"...if Soto signs elsewhere, Toronto could pivot to Santander, who would instantly beef up a lineup that already features Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette," Randhawa wrote."

Santander is coming off the first All-Star season of his career after he launched 44 home runs. With 105 over the last three seasons, he is among the most dangerous power hitters in all of baseball. Having Santander end up in Toronto and hitting home runs against the Orioles every time the two squads faced off would be pretty close to a worst case scenario type outcome.

Putting Santander in the same lineup with Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the Blue Jays could work. But it would require Bichette to have a bounce-back season and for Guerrero to at least meet the .940 OPS he hit to last season.

Keep an eye on the Blue Jays as a potential threat to poach away Baltimore's biggest home run threat.