The outfield market has been quite competitive in this cycle of free agency. It was led by superstar outfielder Juan Soto with multiple other All-Star caliber sluggers coming after the former New York Yankees superstar.
The top option left is the Baltimore Orioles star Anthony Santander. Santander is reportedly looking for a $100 million contract after slugging 44 home runs in 2024.
Santander reportedly is being heavily pursued by two of the Orioles' American League East rivals. The Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox are two of the top suitors in the Santander sweepstakes. Both teams need an outfielder and they've seen firsthand the damage the switch hitter can do.
But they're not the only two teams in the race. In fact, there's a dark horse suitor that could emerge who I wouldn't count out just yet: the New York Mets.
ESPN's Jeff Passan recently suggested the Mets could be in the market for an outfielder this winter, even after adding Juan Soto. With the Mets, it's typically "go big or go home," so we could see them enter the Santander sweepstakes over the next few weeks, especially if his price tag remains where it is.
The Mets and owner Steve Cohen certainly have the money to compete in the Santander sweepstakes. The only issue is the Mets don't have a big enough need in the outfield to warrant adding such an expensive player.
With New York likely to re-sign Pete Alonso, it may not spend another $100 million on the outfield. But it isn't out of the realm of possibility just yet.
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