Santander, who has been out since May with a left shoulder issue, homered on Thursday afternoon from Triple-A Buffalo, doing it from the right side, which is noteworthy. 

The Toronto Blue Jays entered play on Thursday with a four-game lead on the New York Yankees in the American League East as they look for their first division title since 2015. Beyond that, the Jays are working toward the No. 1 seed - and homefield advantage - in the looming American League playoffs.

They haven't won the World Series since 1993.

And while the injury that will keep Bo Bichette out of action through the rest of the regular season is notable, it's also possible that the team is going to get slugger Anthony Santander back for the stretch run.

And on Thursday afternoon, Santander took a big step, homering from the right side for Triple-A Buffalo. He's been out since May with "left shoulder inflammation," so to see him homer from the right side with the left arm as his lead arm is certainly impressive. The ball came off his bat with a 111.5 mph exit velocity.

The Santander story

Signed to a five-year, $92 million deal in the offseason, Santander was supposed to pair with Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to make up one of the most feared trios in the American League, and while the latter two have hit well, it's been a struggle for Santander.

In addition to the 60-day injured list stint, he's played in just 50 games, hitting .179 with six home runs and 18 RBIs. He hit 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs during his final season with the Baltimore Orioles (2024).

Lineup impact

The Blue Jays have a solid defensive outfield with Gold Glover Daulton Varsho and the strong-armed Addison Barger, and George Springer is also a valuable part of the outfield rotation too. There isn't an easy opening for Santander, unless the Jays are willing to sacrifice defense for potential offense.

Guerrero can play his typical first base, leaving Santander to the DH spot, which seems like a clear option. But there's no guarantee that the Jays don't give some run to Ty France in that spot, or Bichette, once he returns from his knee issue.

What's next?

The Jays are finishing out a series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday before playing the Kansas City Royals over the weekend. Santander is expected to stay in the minors through the weekend, and could return for the final week of the regular season.