Blue Jays Star Slugger Is Key to Successful Second Half Season for Franchise
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It has been a fantastic start to the season for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are in first place at the All-Star break in the American League East.
Despite hovering around the .500 mark for most of the first half, the Blue Jays' nice spurt has propelled them into first place, and now they are seeking to hold on to it.
While the division has many playoff hopefuls, with every team in the mix besides the Baltimore Orioles, Toronto holds the advantage. There is a lot to like about the Blue Jays, with a strong lineup that features several stars. However, despite a good record, the team isn’t perfect.
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As the trade deadline approaches, another pitcher for the rotation and in the bullpen would be ideal to help solidify those units for the push to the playoffs, but they have some internal options that will also be key.
Keegan Matheson of MLB.com recently wrote about the key player for the Blue Jays in the second half of the season being slugger Anthony Santander.
“He’s still working his way back from a shoulder surgery, and it’s likely we don’t see him until some point in August, but who will Santander be when he’s back? Again, this is all about the ceiling for the Blue Jays.”
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The star slugger was considered to be one of the best free agents available this past winter, and Toronto locked him up to a long-term deal.
Coming off a 44-home run year, the switch-hitting slugger figured to be an excellent sidekick for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the lineup. Unfortunately, even before he got hurt, the production wasn’t there.
So far this campaign, he has slashed .179/.273/.304 with six home runs and 18 RBI in 50 games played. Santander is a player who has relied on his power to be successful, and there was a concern coming in that if the power numbers dropped, so would his value.
That has been the case thus far, and the former All-Star doesn’t do much else to help the team, as shown by his negative WAR.
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So far, this has been one of the worst signings of the offseason, but that could all change in the blink of an eye with a good finish to the campaign.
If Santander can come back healthy and provide some power, he can improve this lineup even further. A healthy and productive slugger added into the mix could be what separates the Blue Jays from being a contender or not.
For more Blue Jays news, head over to Blue Jays On SI.
Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.