Anthony Santander would be an ideal free agent target for the Cleveland Guardians after this season. While the Guardians still have nearly 40 games left to play, it’s never too early to consider offseason improvements, especially given their recent offensive struggles.
The team clearly needs a consistent power-hitting outfielder to complement José Ramírez and Josh Naylor in the lineup. With some of Cleveland’s current prospects and players not fully meeting expectations, the front office may need to look beyond the organization as their contention window opens.
Santander, who will be a free agent after the season, would be a perfect fit for the Guardians, and they should seriously consider pursuing him for the 2025 season.
Having spent the last eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles, Santander has developed into an outstanding all-around player. So far in 2024, he’s posted a slash line of .240/.307/.525 with an OPS of .832, including 36 home runs and 80 RBIs.
Santander could be considered one of the most underrated hitters in the league. However, due to his expected payday and the abundance of young outfield talent on Baltimore’s roster, he may not return to the Orioles.
The Orioles still boast one of the strongest outfield groups in baseball with Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and veteran Cedric Mullins. Additionally, their eighth-ranked prospect, Dylan Beavers, is an outfielder expected to debut in 2025.
It’s also worth noting that Santander has a history with Cleveland, as the Indians signed him as an international free agent in 2011. However, after struggling to progress through the system due to an elbow injury, he was selected by the Orioles in the 2016 Rule 5 Draft, and his career took off from there.
While Santander won’t come cheap, given that he’s entering free agency at the prime of his career and having arguably his best season, now might be the perfect time for the Guardians to make a significant free agency move. Doing so would signal their commitment to winning a World Series while José Ramírez is still at the top of his game.
