The Toronto Blue Jays offseason is already full of intrigue, with the organization being linked to the likes of Edwin Diaz, Kyle Tucker, Alex Bregman, Raisel Iglesias and Pete Fairbanks on the free agent market.

However, there's already intrigue on the roster in the form of Anthony Santander, who is the most fascinating player already under contract heading into the winter.

The Santander file

Now 31 years old, Santander was signed to a five-year deal worth $92 million last offseason, but 2025 was essentially a lost year for him.

He played only 54 regular season games because of a left shoulder injury, hitting .175 with six home runs and 18 RBIs. This followed up a year in which he had 44 homers and 102 RBIs for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.

Lifetime, Santander is a nine-year veteran of Baltimore and Toronto. He's a .241 career hitter with 161 homers and 160 doubles. A one-time All-Star, he has three seasons of 28 home runs or more.

He returned back to the Jays before the end of the regular season, but was taken off the playoff roster in the American League Championship Series because of a back injury.

Why the intrigue?

Well, given Santander's contract, the team has to find a place for him in 2026, but it comes with some complications.

First off, neither him nor George Springer are regarded as great defensive outfielders. But because there's only designated hitter, one of them has to play the field at all times, as long as they are healthy.

Addison Barger and Daulton Varsho currently project to be other outfielders, and both are strong defenders, but one of them could be pushed aside as well if the team were to sign Tucker in free agency.

Furthermore, on a positive front: If Santander is able to stay healthy and recapture his offensive form, he would provide the Jays with an even greater punch, as he'd pair with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the middle of the order.

Question for the spring

Santander is a clear candidate to play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic next March, but will he want to stay in Jays camp? Would that be a better way of finding his niche in Toronto? Only he can answer that, but it remains a situation that everyone will have to reckon with over the next few months.

Spring training begins in mid-February.

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