Presuming that free agent Anthony Santander signs elsewhere, the Orioles need to replace him. It’s not easy to find a switch-hitting rightfielder who hits 44 home runs, and perhaps the Orioles will try to sign more than one outfielder.
Executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias said on MLB Network Radio on Sunday that without Santander, “we’re missing a lot of right-handed production … We’re really focused on right-handed outfielders in the position-player side.”
For now, the only right-handed outfielder on their 40-man roster is Daz Cameron, who spent the 2023 season with Triple-A Norfolk, hit .200 with five home runs and 15 RBIs in 66 games with Oakland last season.
It’s possible that Jorge Mateo, who has started six games in the outfield with the Orioles since 2021, can get more time there.
It’s also possible that the team attempts to re-sign fan favorite Austin Hays, who wasn’t offered a contract by Philadelphia on Friday.
It seems most likely that the Orioles will look outside familiar names for a regular rightfielder with Colton Cowser’s improvement in left and Cedric Mullins’ steady play in center. They’re both left-handed hitters.
Juan Soto will be the most sought-after free agent. After him and Santander, the market looks fairly thin.
Let’s look at some possibilities:
Teoscar Hernández
Fans who watched the postseason saw a lot of Hernández, who was productive in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ wins over San Diego in the Division Series and the Yankees in the World Series.
Hernández, who improved his stats in the second half after winning the Home Run Derby at the All-Star Game, hit 33 home runs, drove in 99 and hit .272 with an .84O RBI this season.
MLBTradeRumors.com predicts the 32-year-old, who’s two years older than Santander, will sign a three-year, $60 million contract. They predict Santander will sign for four years and $80 million. FanGraphs predicts a three-year, $72 million deal for Hernández.
Tyler O’Neill
In his first season in the American League, O’Neill hit .241 with an .847 OPS, 31 home runs and 61 RBIs. The 29-year-old started 56 games in left field and 34 in right for the Boston Red Sox.
A downside with O’Neill is his number of strikeouts — 159 in 113 games.
FanGraphs thinks O’Neill can get a three-year, $45 million deal.
Jurickson Profar
The 31-year-old Profar had an excellent season for San Diego, hitting .280 with 24 home runs and 85 RBIs and an .839 OPS.
A Silver Slugger, Profar had a 3.7 WAR (Wins Above Replacement) and got some National League MVP votes.
The issue with Profar is that he has started just one game in right field in the last three seasons.
MLB TradeRumors.com and FanGraphs predict Profar could get a three-year, $45 million contract.
Justin Turner
Believe it or not, Justin Turner started his career with the Orioles and played 17 games in 2009 and 2010 under manager Dave Trembley.
He’s 40 years old, but hit .259 with 11 home runs and 55 RBIs and a .737 in 139 games with Toronto and Seattle.
The Orioles could use a veteran with extensive playoff experience, and the hard-nosed Turner has played 86 postseason games.
FanGraphs thinks Turner could make $9 million next year on a one-year contract.
Randal Grichuk
In 63 games against the Orioles, nearly all with the Toronto Blue Jays, the 33-year-old Grichuk has hit .323 with a 1.064 OPS, with 22 home runs and 58 RBIs. He’s a .328 lifetime hitter at Oriole Park.
Grichuck has played only three games in Baltimore since they moved the left-field wall in 2022, but he still hit well overall in 2024.
He had a .291 average, an .875 OPS, 12 home runs and 46 RBIs for Arizona.
Mark Canha
At 35, Canha hit .242 with a .690 OPS, seven home runs and 42 RBIs in 125 games with Detroit and San Francisco.
Canha probably doesn’t profile as a full-time outfielder, but he’s played in the postseason five times since 2018.
Adam Duvall
In 2021, Duvall led the National League with 113 RBIs and hit 38 home runs. Last year, in his third iteration with Atlanta, Duvall hit just .182 with 11 home runs and 30 RBIs. At 36, Duvall could be an interesting bet if the Orioles think he’s capable of a bounce-back season.
Tommy Pham
At 36, Pham has played for nine major league teams and has played in five postseasons, including last year with Kansas City.
Though he hasn’t played much right field, he could be used there, and last year hit .255 with seven home runs and 27 RBIs with the Royals, White Sox and Cardinals.
Call for questions: I answer Orioles questions most weekdays. Please send yours to: Rich@BaltimoreBaseball.com.