Anthony Santander is working to engineer a bounce-back campaign with the Toronto Blue Jays following a 2025 season derailed by injuries and struggles, according to reports from MLB.com. After signing a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the organization, the 31-year-old outfielder appeared in just 54 games last year, managing a .175 batting average with six home runs and a .565 OPS.
The Road from Injury to Recovery
Santander’s inaugural year in Toronto unravelled mid-season when he sustained a left shoulder subluxation. According to MLB.com, he attempted to play through the discomfort before extensive rehabilitation and subsequent inflammation sidelined him for nearly four months. He returned to action in late September for the stretch run and appeared in five postseason games before a back injury forced his removal from the American League Championship Series roster against the Seattle Mariners.
https://x.com/KeeganMatheson/status/2093441079840260531
“Tony is going to be huge for us,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider told MLB.com. “Speaking to him at the end of the year and in the postseason, he battled to get back. … He wanted to be part of it so bad. He wanted to get off on the right foot. It didn’t happen.”
Expectations and Roster Impact
While Santander belted 44 home runs for the Baltimore Orioles during the 2024 campaign, club leadership has emphasized that he does not need to shoulder an impossible burden to justify his contract. Schneider noted that he explicitly told the veteran slugger he does not need to return and hit .300 with 50 home runs to make up for lost time.
Given that Santander holds a career OPS of .762, expectations for a productive return center around providing a steady power bat in the middle of the order. Analysts tracking the club point out that a .750 OPS paired with upwards of 20 home runs would mark a significant stabilization for a Toronto lineup looking to balance potential regression among other veterans.
Next Steps for the Blue Jays
The club continues to monitor his progress closely as preparation for the upcoming schedule unfolds.
Worth a look
