Free agent slugger is one of the top power bats on the market this winter and has drawn interest from a wide array of suitors, including the and . that Santander is also of interest to the Yankees, now that is in Queens, and adds that the longtime Orioles slugger is seeking a five-year contract in free agency. The switch-hitting Santander is coming off a career year in which he belted a personal-best 44 home runs. Hes heading into his age-30 season and doing so on the heels of a .235/.308/.506 batting line (129 wRC+). Santander doesnt hit for much average and typically carries a pedestrian (at best) walk rate, but hes been a consistent source of power for the Os in recent seasons. Dating back to 2020, the former Rule 5 pick is a .245/.312/.476 hitter with 134 home runs, a 7.8% walk rate and a 20.6% strikeout rate. This past seasons 8.7% walk rate was the best of Santanders career, while his 19.4% strikeout rate was his second-lowest in a full 162-game season. Defensively, Santander hasnt generated particularly strong reviews in recent seasons, but his work in 2024 drew harsher grades than usual. Defensive Runs Saved pegged him at -7, while Statcasts Outs Above Average was at -2. Santanders average sprint speed, per Statcast, sat in just the 18th percentile of big league players this past season (26.0 ft/sec). His raw arm strength was better than average, but Statcast still pegged his throwing value as well below average, likely suggesting some inaccurate and/ Nelson Velazquez Jersey or ill-advised throws. Historically speaking, theres some precedent for this skill set defensively limited, corner-only slugger still landing a five-year pact. comes to mind as the most recent example, having inked a five-year, $100MM deal with the Phillies just three winters ago. That same offseason saw sign for four years and $79MM with the Phils. Prior to that, landed a five-year, $110MM deal with the Red Sox to serve as a full-time DH. Each of Castellanos (140 wRC+), Schwarber (145) and especially Martinez (170) were coming off superior offensive seasons in free agency, however. Of the three, only Castellanos received and rejected a qualifying offer. Neither Schwarber nor Martinez were eligible for qualifying offers when they reached free agency, as both were traded during their respective walk years Martinez from Detroit to Arizona, and Schwarber from Washington to Boston. All of those reasons factored into MLBTRs decision to only predict a four-year deal worth $20MM per season for Santander at the outset of free agency. Of course, in the six weeks since our were published, the market has proven to be the most aggre sive in recent memory. While the position player market hasnt yet to fully take shape beyond Juan Sotos expectation-shattering $765MM contract, its been a bull market for starting pitching. Whether that will carry over to the offensive side of the market remains unclear, but Santander appears well positioned to cash in. The Yankees, who were spurned by Soto, have already spent a stunning $218MM on and just earlier today from the Brewers. They still have a hole in right field, however, and while Santander wouldnt make up for all of the lost production from Soto, Tony Taters would offer comparable home run power (with lower averages and dramatically lower on-base skills). Similarly, the Blue Jays have been trying to make a splash to upgrade their lineup but came up empty in their Soto bid. The Red Sox dont need another corner bat at the moment, but if they deal from their stock of outfielders to acquire additional starting pitching, that calculus could change. Other teams seeking middle-of-the-order bats include the Nationals, Tigers and Dodgers, among others. Santanders market is in many ways linked to that of , a similarly powered-up bat with defensive questions and a rejected qualifying offer hanging over his head. Hernandez is two years older and thus seems likely to sign a shorter deal, but he could still land three or perhaps even four years if the market is strong enough. Kevin Appier Jersey