Blue Jays Will Be Without Anthony Santander in Game 2 of ALCS
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The Toronto Blue Jays got some good news earlier in the day when outfielder Nathan Lukes was named part of the American League Championship Series Game 2 lineup following his knee contusion in Game 1.
This positive news in the outfield gave the Blue Jays some hope heading into the important second matchup that their best players would be on the field. However, things changed later in the day when the lineup was adjusted due to a new injury being suffered.
As was reported by Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, veteran outfielder Anthony Santander will not be in the lineup for Game 2 because of back tightness.
News: Anthony Santander is out of the lineup with back tightness. #BlueJays
— Keegan Matheson (@KeeganMatheson) October 13, 2025
Thankfully, the Blue Jays have exceptional depth in the outfield and they have plenty of options to turn to for this upcoming matchup and beyond if needed. Santander has had a difficult season staying healthy, but his veteran leadership was viewed as crucial for a deep postseason run.
His latest issue leaves Toronto in a position where they had to replace him with another option in the short-term as they assess his back injury. And there's a chance that his Game 2 replacement could be the long-term option as well.
Who Will Replace Santander in the Lineup for Game 2?
With Santander missing this crucial game due to his injury, the Blue Jays will turn to substitute outfielder Davis Schneider, putting him in the eighth batting order behind Ernie Clement.
Schneider has had a decent amount of playing time this year due to all the outfield injuries, appearing in 82 games for Toronto in 2025. He has been a productive and a reliable backup option for the Blue Jays when needed.
UPDATE: OF Anthony Santander was removed from today’s starting lineup with lower back tightness. https://t.co/Eqqx5ERSmE pic.twitter.com/Mp7cdWpabl
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 13, 2025
On the year, Schneider has slashed .234/.361/.436 with 33 runs, 31 RBI, 11 home runs, 60 strikeouts and 36 walks. His fielding has also been a reliable aspect of his game. In 347 innings in the outfield, he has posted 85 putouts, one assist and only two errors, good for a .977 fielding rate.
Replacing Santander's offensive production should be a relatively easy task for Schneider, as the former is only slashing .219/.265/.313 in the four postseason games he has appeared in. Ultimately, it will be a matter of how the lineup performs at the bottom of the order and whether or not they are able to match up well against a difficult starting pitcher with Logan Gilbert set to take the mound for Game 2.
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Jeremy Trottier started his writing journey with WBLZ Media, and has worked through multiple publications with 247Sports, USA Today, Fansided, SBNation and others. He is an avid fan of motorsports and most sports in general, and has completed a degree in sports management to further understand the sports industry. During his time with sports media, he has been credentialed for coverage of Boston College sports, and can often be found attending their football and basketball games as well as expected coverage of their men’s soccer team in the near future. Sports are a large part of his life and career, as he looks to pursue a full time role within the industry someday.