Blue Jays Offseason Strategy Has Backfired as Manager Looks to Shake Things Up

The Toronto Blue Jays were desperate to add some pop to their lineup this past offseason.

Over the last few years, they have shown a willingness to spend money in free agency, chasing players at the top of the market. But, they have been unsuccessful in convincing those players to come north of the border.

That was, until they got to negotiate with free agent right fielder, Anthony Santander.

An All-Star in 2024 with their American League East rivals, the Baltimore Orioles, he hit 44 home runs with 102 RBI last year, both career highs. That kind of production is exactly what the Blue Jays were looking for to bolster the middle of their order.

As shared by Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, Toronto saw firsthand the kind of damage that Santander was capable of doing. There wasn’t a team in baseball that he terrorized more than them at the plate.

“During his eight years with Baltimore, Santander hit more home runs against Toronto (21) than any other team, slugging .520 in those 80 games played,” Miller wrote.

Unable to beat him on the field, the Blue Jays ensured that wouldn’t happen anymore, signing him to a five-year, $92.5 million contract. It could be worth as much as $110 million over six years if the team option at the end is exercised.

If you can’t beat’em, join’em is a strategy that many teams have used across sports to give themselves an edge. Toronto thought that would be the case here, but what Santander had been doing to them has not yet carried over to their side.

That is why Miller named him their least valuable player through the first month of the season.

Through April, he had a slash line of .175/.258/.316 with four home runs and four doubles in 128 plate appearances. That is woefully short of expectations, not only because the Blue Jays know what he can accomplish but also because of how much money they are paying him.

Looking to help him get back on track, manager Brian Schneider is going to start using Santander in the outfield more, similarly to how the Orioles deployed him.

It is a strategy that could bear results.

His best numbers have some when he is playing right field with a .231/355/.423 slash line across 31 plate appearances. Not a massive sample size, but something certainly worth exploring to help jumpstart what has been a dormant offense.

As a designated hitter, he has a slash line of .171/.238/.316 in 84 plate appearances.

Being involved in the game more than just as a hitter could be what helps Santander get on track and begin to live up to the expectations the franchise has for him.