Baltimore Orioles Slugger Viewed As Top-10 Free Agent This Winter

The switch-hitting Baltimore Orioles outfielder is a player they should look to re-sign.

Sep 20, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a third inning pitch against the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles have played better over the past two games, a very promising sign as they look to get back to the top of the American League East.

With an impressive 7-1 win against the red-hot Detroit Tigers on Friday night, this could be the start of the Orioles taking over the division again.

However, with just eight games left to play, Baltimore will need to figure it out as soon as possible. If they drop any games from here on out, it could be the deciding factor in them winning the division. 

All of their focus is on the playoff push and success in October, but they'll eventually have to think about what they're going to do with some of their top free agents on the market.

One of those players is none other than switch-hitter Anthony Santander. 

While there's a strong argument for some of the other players on the roster being the best hitters on the team, there's also a way to suggest that Santander has been the second-best hitter in the Orioles lineup.

If it weren't for the success he's found throughout 2024, currently slashing .238/.310/.511 with 43 home runs, they likely wouldn't be in the position they're currently in.

There's value in players like him, too, as he's one of the few veterans on this young star-studded roster.

However, that also means they have to pay him differently than the youngsters. 

Many have predicted he could be looking at a $100 million deal, but it still remains to be seen how much money he ends up with. 

Nonetheless, there's also a very strong argument that he's the most underrated player on the market. 

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report understands that, as he named him the No. 10 free agent available this winter. 

"One of the most successful Rule 5 picks in MLB history, Santander has slugged 151 home runs over the past six seasons for the Orioles, including a career-high 41 long balls in his contract year. His defensive value is limited and he is not a huge on-base threat, but his top-of-the-scale power can transform a lineup."

His defensive struggles could be why he doesn't get as much as some expect, but when a hitter hits 40-plus home runs in the middle of a contending teams lineup, that often gets them paid.

If Baltimore is as serious about winning as they need to be, re-signing him would prove that to the fan base.