Anthony Santander was showered with appreciation until the ball left his bat in the third inning with a resounding crack — the sort of crack that had become familiar at Camden Yards.

Everything had led to that moment. The outfielder, whose eight-year tenure in Baltimore ended over the winter when he signed in free agency with the Toronto Blue Jays, was serenaded upon his return to Baltimore. The pregame hugs from former teammates, the standing ovation for his first plate appearance, the video that played between innings and brought Santander out of the third-base dugout to wave to the Camden Yards faithful again — he’s loved here.

It was fitting, then, that Santander’s first home run for the Blue Jays would come in a park in which he routinely hit them for the Orioles. Santander thrashed a fastball from right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to right field. He watched it fly, raised his arm as he rounded second base and pointed to the sky when he touched home plate.

Those mechanics were common here. They were hardly out of place. But then Santander turned toward the dugout along the third-base line. He wore powder blue rather than all orange.

He was a visitor in a place he long called home.

Over the course of Santander’s Orioles tenure, he became a beloved fixture in Baltimore. He won over a group of traveling U.K. Scouts to become an overnight cult hero in Britain. His walkup music, “Me Gusta” by Porfi Baloa, made even the most uncoordinated Orioles fans dance. His 44 home runs last year capped his eight years in Baltimore with an All-Star season.

During spring training, Santander said there was “zero chance” he would return to Baltimore based on the offer from general manager Mike Elias. The three-year deal lacked the length he received from Toronto, which totals five years and includes $92.5 million.

“They make an offer, but it wasn’t even close,” Santander said in March. “We get it. We understand. It’s a business side. Mike [Elias] is really smart about it.”

But there are no hard feelings. On Friday night, when the opening game of the series was rained out, Santander used the time to walk around his old stomping grounds. On Saturday, Santander was dropped off at the main entrance. He then walked through the bowels of the stadium, past the home clubhouse to the visiting side.

“I made sure to get into the kitchen to say hi to the staff and the training room to say hi to my guys,” Santander said.

And before Saturday’s contest, which the Orioles won 5-4, he walked down the hall with Orioles manager Brandon Hyde. They’ll always have a bond, even from other dugouts.

“He gave me the opportunity to be a regular player,” Santander said, “and it’s always going to be really good to have a chat with him.”

There was no reunion as happy as the one between Santander and team interpreter Brandon Quinones, though. Before Santander’s media session in the dugout, he called over Quinones for support, even though Santander’s English is so advanced he rarely relies on a translation.

As Quinones sat down, the Orioles staffer said, “One more time.” Then they shook hands, and Santander yelled, “My man!”

That’s their thing. Santander had those friendships with many in this park. He talked with the security guards, signed balls for fans and waved to the crowd.

He kept his celebration muted, then, when he continued what he so often does at Camden Yards. His home run was loud, on a line and stung a home crowd used to celebrating those.

This story has been updated.