Looking at several free agent predictions for Santander and Burnes

If we are to believe various free agent predictions, to re-sign pitcher Corbin Burnes, the Orioles are going to need to fork out around $200 million dollars, maybe more. 

Five outlets – MLBTradeRumors.com, ESPN, FanGraphs.com, and two from The Athletic – all predict Burnes gets a seven-year contract. That would take him through his age 36 season. On the low end, FanGraphs has Burnes getting $196 million and on the high end $247 by Jim Bowden of The Athletic. Several outlets ranked Burnes as the No. 2 free agent behind Juan Soto.

Soto’s projections by the way range from 12 years and $540 million to 15 years and $622 million. But you get a shuffle with that remember. 

That brings us to O's outfielder Anthony Santander for which we see a wide range of predictions. On the low end, ESPN predicts a three-year deal for $69 million. MLBTradeRumors.com goes with four years and $80 million. FanGraphs has him getting five years and $100 million while The Athletic goes with five years and $105 million. Jim Bowden has it six years and $142 million.

That is some range – from $69 to $142 million. The low-end predictions here seem to be in the Orioles wheelhouse, and I would imagine are very doable for the club. But would the Orioles go five years and $100 million for a player that ranked third in the majors with 44 homers?

Santander is a leader in the Baltimore clubhouse and a fan favorite outside of it. Does the club consider that and does that make his worth to the Orioles more than any other club?

The Orioles extended qualifying offers on Monday to both Santander and Burnes, meaning should they sign elsewhere, the Orioles will get a compensatory draft pick.

The Sisco kid: Former Oriole catcher Chance Sisco, who has not played in the major leagues since 2021, has a shot to get back in the 2025 season. Sisco, who will turn 30 in February, has been re-signed to a minor league deal by the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Orioles selected him in round two of the 2013 draft (No. 61 overall) and on their watch he was a two-time top 100 player. Sisco played in the All-Star Futures Game repping the Orioles in both 2016 and 2017.

Sisco was the Orioles’ No. 1 ranked player heading into 2017 and was No. 57 on the Baseball America top 100. A year later he was the O’s No. 3 and was No. 68 in the national top 100.

But there always seemed to be questions about his defense while his offense never produced as hoped. He hit .340 once at Low-A Delmarva and .320 at Double-A Bowie. He wouldn't do as well in the bigs.

His first year in the majors with the Orioles he went 6-for-18. But over 196 Baltimore games overall, he hit .197/.317/.337/.654.

In 2024, Sisco got into seven games for Memphis, the Cardinals’ Triple-A club. In 65 games in the Atlantic League for Long Island, he hit .261 with 16 homers and a .955 OPS.

Elias at GM meetings: O’s exec Mike Elias made his first public comments yesterday about not picking up the 2025 contract option on lefty reliever Danny Coulombe.

As reported by MLB.com, Elias said: “Danny’s somebody who has done a ton for us, been enormously successful the past couple of years and we really enjoyed having him and he’s somebody that we’re going to want to continue talking to throughout free agency. But I’m sure he’s going to have a lot of good opportunities and we’ll see where it goes.”

Elias did not mention anything about Coulombe missing time injured last year and just said the team essentially made an evaluation in looking at the price point and keeping in mind its budget and planning for the offseason.

Elias expressed the hope to pursue his own free agents, Burnes and Santander via free agency. He expressed the desire to pursue a front-end starting pitcher.

“I do think we’ll make every strong effort to bring in somebody who’s proven and healthy, able to help lead the pitching staff, rather than just kind of be depth,” he said.

Meanwhile, my colleague Roch Kubatko was apparently tweeting from his hospital bed yesterday and reported that the Orioles are hiring Tommy Joseph from Seattle as assistant hitting coach. Joseph, 33, has been in the big leagues one season. From 2021-2023 he coached in the minors.

Roch also noted that Cody Asche, the O's current offensive strategy coach, will become the top hitting coach for the team in 2025. He noted also that former O’s hitting coach Ryan Fuller is joining the White Sox as director of hitting. Earlier the O's co-hitting coach, Matt Borgschulte left the club to take a job with the Minnesota Twins.