The Orioles possession change may very well be made official within the coming weeks. Evan Drellich of the Athletic wrote yesterday that MLB is more likely to formally approve the sale of the O’s to David Rubenstein by April. In accordance with Drellich, there’s a small likelihood the deal may very well be accomplished earlier than Opening Day.
Rubenstein agreed to buy the franchise from the Angelos household in late January for $1.725 billion. He’ll assume management of 40% of the group initially and can reportedly tackle the bulk stake upon the passing of Peter Angelos. The settlement nonetheless must be accepted by MLB house owners however that’s largely a formality.
Receiving that rubber stamp nonetheless marks a key second for the franchise. The fanbase is hopeful that Rubenstein will authorize the type of long-term funding from which the group has shied away since John Angelos grew to become management individual. The O’s lastly made their long-awaited consolidation commerce for an ace to put in Corbin Burnes on the entrance of the rotation. They haven’t pulled off an identical strike on the free agent or extension fronts. Félix Bautista’s $1MM wage and a handful of possibility buyouts are the one contractual commitments past this yr.
Burnes headlines their group of gamers who’ll hit free company after the upcoming season. The previous Cy Younger winner has spoken about his want to get to the open market. Anthony Santander is maybe the second-most impactful of Baltimore’s potential free brokers. He has spent his whole MLB profession with the O’s after being chosen within the 2016 Rule 5 draft. The switch-hitting outfielder indicated he’d be completely happy to remain off the market.
“I’d love that,” Santander replied when requested about an extension (hyperlink by way of Matt Weyrich of the Baltimore Solar). “That’s one thing that we all the time discuss exterior of this room with my household and pals. I’d love to remain right here. We go away that enterprise facet to the entrance workplace. We’re simply right here to stay within the second proper now, put together ourselves.”
Whereas Santander tasks as one of many simpler hitters within the upcoming class, it’s potential the O’s don’t really feel a lot urgency in extending him. Baltimore’s stockpile of younger expertise extends to the outfield. Along with established starters Cedric Mullins and Austin Hays (each of whom are below management by means of 2025), the O’s have Heston Kjerstad, Colton Cowser and Kyle Stowers as controllable outfielders who’ve reached the majors. They may rely on somebody from that group entering into an everyday position for ’25 and past.
Baltimore would be capable of make Santander a qualifying provide within the absence of a long-term deal. It appears unlikely they’d need to provide a one-year wage that’d exceed $20MM, however Santander may play his method into reputable QO consideration if he turns in one other season like his 2023 marketing campaign. He’s coming off a formidable .257/.325/.472 exhibiting with 28 homers.
The O’s can delay that call till subsequent winter. Their extra quick focus is on defending final yr’s AL East crown. Getting Dillon Tate again into high-leverage innings could be a pleasant increase in the direction of these efforts. The previous #4 general choose turned in a 3.05 ERA over a career-high 73 2/3 frames again in 2022. He missed all of final season nursing a flexor pressure however averted surgical procedure and is again within the bullpen combine this spring. Tate threw an ideal inning with a strikeout of Ryan Kreidler in at the moment’s exhibition recreation in opposition to Detroit, his first recreation motion of the yr.