The Toronto Blue Jays were hit with a brutal wave of injury news on Tuesday, just as spring training looms on the horizon. The biggest blow?
Slugger Anthony Santander is headed for shoulder surgery that will sideline him for five to six months. The timing couldn’t be worse for a player who was expected to be a key piece of the 2026 lineup in what many hoped would be a bounce-back year.
But Santander’s injury wasn’t the only gut punch. Pitcher Bowden Francis is out for the entire 2026 season after undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery, and Shane Bieber is dealing with forearm fatigue that will keep him from being ready for Opening Day. Three significant setbacks, all before pitchers and catchers report - not exactly how you want to start a season with postseason aspirations.
Santander’s Absence Forces a Lineup Shake-Up
The most immediate impact of Santander’s injury is on the Blue Jays’ outfield configuration - and it’s already prompting changes. Manager John Schneider has laid out a preliminary plan, and it gives us a pretty clear look at how Toronto’s lineup might take shape to open the season.
Addison Barger is expected to take over in right field, a position he held down effectively last season. Originally viewed as a versatile option who could bounce between third and the outfield, Barger now becomes a fixture in right - a move that provides some stability in the wake of Santander’s absence.
Over in left field, expect a platoon approach. Davis Schneider and Nathan Lukes, who were both projected to start the season as bench contributors, will now share duties in left.
It’s a significant shift for both players, but also a big opportunity. Schneider’s bat showed flashes last year, and Lukes brings a solid glove and contact approach that could complement him well in a platoon.
Kazuma Okamoto Gets a Defined Role
Santander’s injury also indirectly clears the path for newly acquired Kazuma Okamoto to settle in as the team’s everyday third baseman. There had been talk of using Okamoto in a utility role, rotating him across the infield and possibly even giving him some DH looks. But with Barger now locked into the outfield, Okamoto’s primary home will be the hot corner.
He’ll also spell Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base when needed, but make no mistake - the Jays are counting on Okamoto to help carry some of the offensive load that Santander was supposed to shoulder. His bat becomes even more critical now.
Shuffling the Infield
With Davis Schneider shifting to the outfield, Ernie Clement steps into a more defined role at second base. Clement played well in limited action last season and now has a chance to prove he can handle an everyday role. He’s not flashy, but he’s reliable - and in a season already marked by uncertainty, that’s valuable.
Silver Linings and Challenges
This isn’t how the Blue Jays wanted to find their lineup rhythm, but there’s a silver lining in the clarity that injuries have forced. Players now have set roles heading into spring - and that kind of consistency can be a big deal over a 162-game grind. Knowing where you’re playing, when you’re playing, and how you fit into the bigger picture helps players settle in and focus.
On the flip side, it limits the flexibility that manager John Schneider leaned on so effectively last season. One of Toronto’s strengths in 2025 was its ability to mix and match, to keep guys fresh, and to play matchups. That chessboard shrinks a bit now.
Still, this is the hand the Blue Jays have been dealt. And while it’s not ideal, it’s far from a lost season.
The talent is still there. The core remains intact.
But the margin for error just got a little thinner, and the path to October a bit more complicated.