The Orioles contingent going to Arlington for next week’s All-Star Game continues to grow.
Right fielder Anthony Santander has been selected to participate in the All-Star Game for the first time in his career as an injury replacement for Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker. The 29-year-old Santander entered Thursday tied for third in the American League in home runs with 23 after he led the majors in that department in June with a whopping 13. The honor comes at a good time for Santander, who is scheduled to become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.
The longest-tenured Oriole on the current roster, Santander was selected in the Rule 5 draft out of the Cleveland organization ahead of the 2017 season and overcame an array of early-career injuries to develop into one of the AL’s better power-hitting corner outfielders with 84 long balls since the start of the 2022 season. Though batting just .233 with a .298 on-base percentage this season, Santander is on pace to set a career high in homers and is slugging .492, which would be his highest mark since a .575 slugging percentage in the abbreviated 2020 season.
Santander ranks third on the 2024 Orioles in runs batted in (57), fourth in doubles (15), and tied for third in walks (26) while being worth 1.8 wins above replacement, according to Baseball Reference.
Over eight seasons with the Orioles, the switch-hitting Santander owns a .246/.306/.463 slash line with 134 homers, 145 doubles, and 390 RBIs in 2,816 career plate appearances.
Baltimore’s five All-Star representatives — Santander, shortstop Gunnar Henderson, catcher Adley Rutschman, starting pitcher Corbin Burnes, and infielder Jordan Westburg — are the club’s most since the 2016 Midsummer Classic. That year, third baseman Manny Machado, outfielder Mark Trumbo, catcher Matt Wieters, and relief pitchers Zack Britton and Brad Brach represented the Orioles at Petco Park in San Diego.
