Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has taken a giant step forward in making a return this season.
Santander, who back on January 20, 2025, inked with the Blue Jays a five-year $92.5-million-dollar contract, has, as all Jays fans know too well, endured a disappointing injury-riddled season, which unfortunately has seen the 30-year-old switch-hitter out of action since May 30 due to left shoulder inflammation.
This injury, which Blue Jays manager Ross Atkins termed left shoulder subluxation, occurred in early May when, in hard pursuit of a foul ball, Santander crashed hard into the Anaheim outfield wall during a game against the Angels.
After playing his first eight seasons as a key member of the Baltimore Orioles Santander was looked upon this year to provide some middle-of-the batting order depth and home run power, but unfortunately, fans haven’t gotten a chance to see his talents due to being limited to 184 at-bats which has seen him hit for a 179 average with 33 hits, 14 runs scored, six home runs and 18 RBI’s.
Recently, Blue Jays fans heard some optimistic news when it was made official that Santander has started hitting balls off a tee and will soon be taking batting practice. With the news, a possible late August or September return has not been ruled out, which would be an obvious big shot in the arm for the Jays.
“Probably a few weeks of ramping up, then he’ll have to play in a good number of games, I would think, to get some timing,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said in reference to Santander coming back this year. “You’re looking at the second week of September, maybe something like that. It depends on how he builds up, really, and then how the games go.”
His last game might have been that 12-0 win back on May 30th against the Athletics, but it wasn’t until July when Santander was placed on the 60-day injured list, where, during his recovery, he was taking a PRP injection.
Blue Jays Outfielder Santander Aiming for a September Return
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Santander Coming Off an All-Star Season With Orioles
Before becoming a Blue Jay, Santander won the 2024 Silver Slugger Award and was an All-Star after mashing 44 home runs along with producing 102 RBI’s, 25 doubles, 140 hits, and scoring 91 runs.
In that magical season, Santander made some franchise history when on August 13, 2024, at Camden Yards, he went long against Washington Nationals pitcher Jake Irvin for his 36th homerun in a 9-3 loss. What made this home run so historical was that it surpassed Ken Singleton‘s previous record for most home runs in a season by an Orioles switch-hitter.
“It’s just the consistency with my routine, my work ethic, coming to the field to be able to prepare my body to go out and compete at 100 percent,” Santander said about his success.
During his tenure as an Oriole, Santander has put together an impressive resume, which includes hitting 155 home runs, driving in 435 runs, 155 doubles, scoring 383 runs, six triples, and 10 stolen bases in 746 games.
Santander is Travelling to Florida, Meeting Up with the Jays
In another optimistic piece of news, it was announced that Santander will be meeting up with the Jays when they reach Miami for a series against the Marlins. Naturally, if and when Santander returns this season, it will give Schneider more options and give the Jays that power bat many believed was missing. Though he won’t be playing, the leadership Santander provides in the clubhouse and dugout will provide a big boost and can make a difference between winning and losing.
With Santander hitting off a tee and travelling to meet the club, it looks like Jays fans will once again get to see him in action this year. A power bat in the order can, in the long run, make that deciding difference between winning or losing a World Series. Only time will tell.
Main Image: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
