The Orioles have another All-Star.
Anthony Santander on Thursday joined the growing list of Orioles heading to the Midsummer Classic, his first appearance in the game in possibly his last year with the team. Santander will be a free agent after this season.
Santander is an injury replacement for Houston’s Kyle Tucker, who fouled a ball off his shin this month.
“It is a blessing,” Santander said. “All of the work I’ve put in these years and my career, I’m happy and grateful.”
The Orioles have five All-Stars — Adley Rutschman, Gunnar Henderson, Corbin Burnes and Jordan Westburg are the other four — their most since 2016. Athletic trainer Brian Ebel and ball boy Tyler Smith will also represent the franchise in Arlington, Texas, next week.
“We’ve been together all these years, and it’s happy and it’s an honor getting to be with that talent at the All-Star Game,” Santander said.
When the original list of All-Stars was announced Sunday, the Orioles felt they had been passed over.
Henderson and Rutschman were in automatically from the fan voting, and Burnes was added from the player vote. Still, there was confusion. How could the best team in the American League, one that is on pace to win over 100 games for the second year in a row, have only three All-Stars?
Since then, Santander and Westburg have been added as injury replacements. Ryan Mountcastle and Ryan O’Hearn, who were finalists in fan voting, could still be added.
On Thursday, manager Brandon Hyde called Santander into his office, where the Orioles staff was waiting for him. They started applauding as they told him the news. The 2016 Rule 5 draft pick, who battled injuries early in his career but bounced back, turning himself into a daily major leaguer and becoming just one of four players to survive the rebuild, is an All-Star.
He’s on track to have a career year. He has 23 home runs, tied for fifth in MLB, and needs just 10 more to reach the career high he set in 2022. He has played in all but five of the Orioles’ games this season.
“He’s one of my favorites,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “This guy has been with us through this whole path, and it’s awesome to see him get recognition. It’s going to be fun seeing him on national TV.”
