Orioles $105 Million Superstar Predicted To Bolt For Royals In Free Agency Surprise
The Kansas City Royals need just one more piece to solidify themselves as true World Series contenders.
The Royals have got their superstar in Bobby Witt Jr. They've got a strong starting rotation. They've got solid role players, plus a strong team identity. They've even got a weak division to play in. All they're missing is the power bat in the middle of the lineup.
Witt can't do it all himself, and after Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, no other Royals player had even 20 home runs this season. The outfield was a black hole for the Royals offensively, and to take the next step in 2025, at least one big outfield bat must be acquired.
Perhaps that outfield bat could be 30-year-old Baltimore Orioles star Anthony Santander, fresh off his first career All-Star appearance. Chris Rose of Jomboy Media predicted recently that the Royals would sign Santander to a four-year deal on the Talkin' Baseball podcast.
"Anthony Santander, I think he's one of the more interesting free agents available, because... 40-home-run pop, both sides of the plate, great arm, but can't cover a lick of ground in the outfield, so teams don't know exactly what they're getting," Rose said.
"But I think that the Kansas City Royals are willing to find out over the next four years, because they've got a ton of vacancies in their outfield. Like, the fact that they made the playoffs and... pressed the Yankees a little bit with virtually zero production out of the outfield amazed me."
For all the shortcomings Rose named, Santander would still be an enormous upgrade for the Royals offensively. His 44 home runs last season are his biggest selling point, but the fact that he can switch-hit and make the lineup much less dependent on platooning is the real ace in the hole.
Tim Britton of The Athletic projected that Santander would get a five-year, $105 million contract, which would be a significant investment (and a risk) for the Royals. But when you're as desperate for offense as the Royals are, these are the risks you need to be willing to take.
More MLB: Cardinals $3 Million On-Base Machine Named As Blockbuster Royals Trade Candidate
Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org