Anthony Santander fate for the rest of the season might have been sealed with a recent injury development.
Over the last two seasons, there have been several players in the Toronto Blue Jays organization that can't seem to shake the injury bug. One of those players has been designated hitter/outfielder Anthony Santander.
The Blue Jays signed Santander last offseason to a five-year, $92.5 million contract following a career-best season with Toronto's American League East rivals, the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.
Santander slashed .235/.308/.506 with an .814 OPS in 155 games with Baltimore that season and hit 25 doubles, two triples and 44 home runs with 102 RBIs. Both his homers and RBIs were career-highs.
Since coming up north however, Santander has been unable to see the field consistently for Toronto.
Santander was limited to just 54 regular season games in 2025 due to left shoulder inflammation and played in just five games in the playoffs during the Blue Jays' American League pennant-winning season after suffering back tightness.
The 31-year-old finished '25 with a slash line of .175/.271/.294 with a .565 OPS and hit five doubles and six homers with 18 RBIs.
The former Oriole has yet to appear in a game this season due to a tear in his left labrum. However, there appeared to be a chance Santander could make an appearance for the Blue Jays, which would come at a perfect time considering the team being right on the edge of securing a playoff spot.
Toronto placed Santander on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Sept. 9. So far, he's played in two games and has gone 1-for-7 with a strikeout. And based on a recent report, those two minor league games might be the only ones he plays this season.
Per a post on "X" from MLB.com reporter Keegan Matheson, Santander won't play in the Bisons' game Tuesday due to lower back discomfort, the same injury that shut him down in the postseason last season.
Matheson didn't clarify whether or not the back discomfort is expected to keep Santander out for multiple games. Considering the pace of Santander's rehab and the Bisons only having six games remaining in its schedule, it's hard to see the Blue Jays being comfortable enough activating Santander for the final stretch of the major league season.
Toronto's also just one game out of a playoff spot, so there's a question worth considering whether or not Santander should be introduced back in the lineup at this point in the season.
Regardless, 2027 will be a big year for Santander, both for the sake of him finally getting back to playing an entire season and for potential future innings.
Santander's deal has an opt-out clause after the 2027 season. If the slugger is looking for a change in scenery, then a strong final year will benefit him.
