Orioles sportscaster predicts All-Star infielder to fill Anthony Santander’s void 

Baltimore Orioles lost star outfielder Anthony Santander in the offseason this year and one sportscaster believes that Jordan Westburg will step into a leadership role in his absence.

Over the last eight years in Baltimore, Santander grew to become one of the biggest stars, as well as a central figure in their clubhouse. With the rise of several youngsters in the past couple of years, sportscaster Melanie Newman expects Westburg to fill that void in the upcoming season.

“I think leading the charge, especially with the departure of Anthony Santander, it’s going to be Jordan Westburg. He had that horrible timing with the right hand fracture and we never really got to see him back again,” Newman said via ‘Hot Stove’.

“He is going to have to step up and lead. I don’t think people talk about him enough. He is a huge commodity, he is one of the hardest-nose players I have ever met and he demands excellence every single day,” she added.

Jordan Westburg was selected by the Orioles in the 2020 MLB draft and went on to make his major league debut with them in 2023. In 2024, he started the season as the designated hitter and was impressive over the first half of the season, earning a spot in the All-Star game. However, his season was cut short in July due to a fracture to his right hand.

Over the past few years, the Orioles have brought up a crop of young players with huge promise in the MLB. One of them is Westburg, who has shown his capabilities not only on the field but also in the clubhouse. While he had a disappointing end to the 2024 season, he could reach new heights this year in the MLB.

Orioles sportscaster shares her expectations of new pitching acquisition Tomoyuki Sugano

Baltimore Orioles signed veteran Japanese pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano this winter, who promises to be a big addition to their starting rotation. Speaking on her expectations of Sugano on “MLB Network”, Newman said:

“I think he’s a different breed. He wanted a challenge and I think having a six-pitch mix, he walks almost nobody. He’s going to love that challenge.”

The 35-year-old star had an illustrious career in the NPB, having won three MVP awards over the course of his career. Having established himself as one of the best pitchers over the past decade, he has finally made the move to the MLB looking for a new challenge.