Surprising AL West team linked to former Orioles' star outfielder Anthony Santander

Earlier in the offseason, there were some rumblings among Orioles fans about the potential of Mike Elias bringing back star outfielder Anthony Santander. After the O's signed Tyler O'Neill to a 3-year deal back in early December, those thoughts of a reunion with Santander were essentially squashed.

Outside of Baltimore, Santander has been linked to a number of teams during his free agency. Most notably, he's been rumored to be in constant contact with the Blue Jays, who are in desperate need of star power as they seek to pull things together for one last push before Vlad Guerrero Jr. hits free agency next winter.

Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press recently confirmed that the Jays are still among the front runners to land Santander, but Petzold also reported that a surprise AL West team is running alongside Toronto in the quest to land Santander.

Apparently the LA Angels, who had made a number of interesting signings earlier in the offseason, have been committed in their pursuit of the former Orioles' switch hitter.

Surprise AL West team pursuing free agent Anthony Santander

FanSided's Robert Murray confirmed Petzold's reporting on Santander earlier this week. After last winter's departure of Shohei Ohtani, the Angels have been struggling to find the right replacement to get them back in the hunt in the competitive AL West.

Santander would seemingly fit well into the Angels lineup. If Mike Trout can ever stay healthy, Santander could pair alongside him and Taylor Ward in LA's outfield. The Angels are currently slated to run with post-hype prospect Jo Adell and Mickey Moniak, who was brutally disappointing in 2024 after putting up encouraging numbers in a partial 2023 season.

Earlier this winter the Angels acquired Jorge Soler, who's no slouch at the plate, in a trade with the Braves. Soler is still a massive power threat. Though he hit just 21 homers in 2024, he spent the first half of the year struggling in the massive Oracle Park in San Francisco. He was a much better hitter after getting traded to Atlanta at the deadline and will look to carry that success over to a hitter-friendly park in LA.

Pairing Santander with the potent group of Trout, Ward, Soler, and infielder Luis Rengifo could put the Angels in a strong spot heading into 2025. Their pitching staff still needs a good bit of work but if the Angels are able to land Santander and somehow manage to stay healthy all year, they could wind up being a surprise contender for the AL West title.

MLB Trade Rumors had projected a 4-year, $80 million deal for Santander earlier this winter. Recent reports have suggested he's still expecting a deal in that range. The Angels have plenty of wiggle room with their payroll, and could find a way to add Santander on a long-term deal without coming anywhere near the CBT cap. If they do, it'd be a lot better for Orioles fans than having to watch him rake in Toronto's Rogers Center for the next handful of years.