When manager Brandon Hyde found out Anthony Santander was an All-Star, he devised a plan to honor his outfielder.
They had been together since 2019, Hyde witnessing firsthand the hurdles Santander went over to get to this moment. So on Thursday, when Hyde called Santander into his office just hours before the game against the Cubs, it wasn’t just the usual suspects waiting for him. Instead, the Orioles’ staff, some of whom have been with him since he was a Rule 5 pick in 2016, crowded around. They applauded as they told Santander the news.
“He’s one of my favorites,” Hyde said. “This guy has been with us through this whole path, and it’s awesome to see him get recognition.”
This wasn’t just the cumulation of one-half of a season of work. He’s weathered a rebuild, one of just four to survive from start to finish, and injuries, revamping his nutrition and recovery procedures to keep him in the game.
He’s become one of the best sluggers in the sport — he’s fifth in MLB at the midway point with 24 home runs, well on his way to besting his career high of 33 set in 2022. And on Tuesday, when the American League All-Stars take the field in Arlington, Texas, Santander will be among them for the first time in his career.
“It is a blessing,” he said. “All of the work I’ve put in these years in my career, I’m happy and grateful.”
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Santander spent much of his early time in the organization on the injured list. He had shoulder surgery in 2016 — after playing through pain for much of that season — but the Orioles picked him in the major league portion of the Rule 5 draft despite the injury and the fact that he had never played above High-A.
As he recovered from that surgery, a right forearm strain developed, setting him back another four months. The Orioles got only glimpses of him in 2017 and 2018, and in 2019 he didn’t make the team out of spring training. But he was called up in June, sticking with them for the rest of the season.
For the first time, the Orioles saw what Santander could do. He hit .261 with 20 home runs in 93 games.
“For me, he kind of solidified himself as a major league player in that second half of ’19,” Hyde said.
More road bumps came before he made himself a daily staple in the lineup. An oblique strain in 2020, followed by a left ankle sprain in 2021, halted his career right as he was getting going. Finally, in 2022 and 2023, he was healthy enough to play nearly every game, and this should be a career year for Santander in what could be his final season with the Orioles.
He’s played around with different diets and recovery techniques to make that possible. He tried going vegan, but then he remembered he loved meat.
“I didn’t have the strength to give away my steak,” he said.
Instead, he hired a nutritionist at the start of last offseason and came up with a new plan. He’s now following a Mediterranean diet, one that focuses on the inclusion of olive oil and fresh veggies, and, yes, lots of room for his steak. The goal, he said, is to keep inflammation down, which in turn should help him recover better.
Six months in, it appears to be working.
“It’s doing a really good job. I’ve been feeling really good,” he said. “My body is in good shape. And I rest a lot, which is important.”
But things get complicated when the team is on the road. MLB teams play 81 away games, and, although they have access to seemingly endless amounts of food when they get to the stadium in early afternoon, they are usually on their own for breakfast.
Early in his career, before he had a major league salary, Santander got in the habit of traveling with a hot plate so he could make food in his hotel room to save money. He fell off of that after he debuted but was reminded of it when he heard anther player talk about it on the Mookie Betts podcast last winter. A light bulb went off in Santander’s head. If he wanted to control everything that went into his body, he should bring his hot plate out of retirement.
He started doing it again this season. Either he or his parents — if they are traveling with him — will get groceries his first day in a new city, things such as eggs, chicken and omelet fixings.
“It’s tough for me because I love sweets,” Santander said. “I love waffles and French toast. I try to have, you know, a ‘shit day’ once a week.”
The changes he’s made have helped him not only stay on the field but also improve his performance, so much so that he’ll be honored as one of the best in baseball Tuesday.
“Never give up,” Santander said. “Tough injuries early in my career, but always having the right mentality of working hard, able to bounce back and stay here and go out there and play every single game to help the team win, that’s the most important thing. I’m grateful and excited.”
