Blue Jays Transfer Anthony Santander To 60-Day IL, Call Up Notable Prospect
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As the Toronto Blue Jays continue to win games and lead the American League East, they are still playing a bit short-handed.
This winter, the Blue Jays were focused on making some significant additions in free agency to help prove that they are heading in the right direction when it comes to being a perennial contender.
The decisions seemingly paid off with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signing the mega-deal the team was hoping for, but the results of who they have signed have been mixed.
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Arguably, the most significant addition was bringing in Anthony Santander from the Baltimore Orioles. The switch-hitting slugger was one of the best home run hitters in baseball last year, but he has struggled with Toronto.
In addition to not producing, Santander has also missed a lot of time with injury and has recently been transferred to the 60-day IL.
#BlueJays have transferred Anthony Santander to the 60-day IL and optioned Justin Bruihl.
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) July 4, 2025
Lazaro Estrada (No. 25 prospect) is up for his MLB debut.
The talented slugger has been out since May 30 with a shoulder injury, and with the recent move to the 60-day IL, he won’t be eligible to return for quite some time.
So far, the decision to sign him long-term has not worked out.
While injuries happen, he has slashed 179/.273/.304 with just six home runs and 18 RBI in 50 games played.
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Santander’s value relies heavily on his ability to hit the ball out of the ballpark, and even before the injury, that wasn’t happening. Hopefully, the time off will give him ample time to heal so he can potentially provide a spark in the second half.
As for the other roster moves, the call-up of Lazaro Estrada is an intriguing one.
Estrada, who ranks 25th in the Blue Jays' pipeline, was signed as an international free agent in 2018 and has flashed some high-end stuff during his time on the farm with a 3.51 ERA across his 106 outings (77 starts), striking out 468 batters in 392.1 innings pitched.
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If he gets into a game, that will be his Major League debut.
Justin Bruihl was solid in his four appearances with Toronto this season with just one run allowed in 3.1 innings pitched, but it seems like the Blue Jays want to give their youngster a chance after optioning the lefty back to Triple-A.
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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.