Anthony Santander is still holding out hope for one more swing this season, even as his absence has become easy to overlook in a Blue Jays year packed with injuries.
The 31-year-old outfielder has barely been part of the picture since signing a five-year, $92.5 million deal. He has appeared in only 54 games for Toronto, and every one of those came in 2025. This season, he has been sidelined after surgery to repair a labral tear in his left shoulder.
There was a brief sense two months ago that a return might be coming together. At that point, Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Santander had been moving well in his rehab and could potentially be back in August. The conversation then went quiet until Schneider offered another update on Friday.
Schneider said Santander is still trying to get back before the 2026 season ends. The 2024 All-Star has been taking swings off a machine in Dunedin and is hoping to start seeing live pitching next week.
With only 27 regular season games left, the window is getting tight. Toronto is still in the race, but recent struggles have left the club 3.5 games out of a wild-card spot.
Whether Santander makes it back this year is still uncertain, but the progress is real enough to keep the door open. At the very least, he should be in position to come into 2027 healthy and ready to try to salvage a contract that has not delivered much yet.
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Blue Jays May Be About To Lose A Former Top Prospect
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Woods Richardson now goes on waivers, and because he is out of minor league options, any team that claims him would have to keep him on a major league roster. If he clears, he would have the choice to elect free agency, leaving the Blue Jays with a former top prospect at a crossroads and a bullpen/rotation depth picture that could change again before long. [Read more 🡒]
Bo Bichette Just Reopened A Blue Jays What-If Fans Will Feel
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Bichette also looked back on the early part of his career and the absence of a mentor, while crediting Marcus Semien for the example he set during their time together. For Blue Jays fans, it nudges open the old what-if: how different might Bichettes Toronto years have felt with more guidance around him, and what might the organization have seen if the relationship had been built to last? [Read more 🡒]
John Schneiders Future Just Became Part Of Torontos Playoff Race
The Blue Jays have spent much of 2026 in an uncomfortable middle ground, good enough to stay in the conversation but not quite secure enough to relax. At 65-70, Toronto is still hanging around the AL Wild Card picture, which means every stretch run result now carries extra weight not just for the roster, but for the manager steering it.
John Schneiders place in the discussion has become part of the backdrop, too. Sports Illustrateds Karl Rasmussen noted that a missed postseason could put Schneiders job in jeopardy even after he guided the club to the World Series in 2025, and his overall track record in Toronto has been solid over five seasons with three playoff trips. For a team still trying to turn contention into something more lasting, the next few weeks may say as much about the dugout as they do about the standings. [Read more 🡒]