MLB Insider Predicts Major Rebound Season for Blue Jays Slugger
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The Toronto Blue Jays made a statement to the rest of the American League that they shouldn't be forgotten about in a division featuring the historic New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox. Making it to the World Series and pushing it to Game 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers is as good a season as it could get if not winning it all.
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Going into the new campaign, there is a clear player on the roster looking for a bounce back after signing a lengthy contract with the franchise last offseason, and that's Anthony Santander.
After smashing 44 home runs with the Baltimore Orioles in his final season with that franchise, Santander wasn't close to double digits with the Blue Jays. But he can still be that same power threat he once was in Baltimore, moving forward in his tenure in Toronto.
Jon Morosi Believes in Bounce-Back Season
Jon Morosi believes that Santander will get back to the way he was with Baltimore next season, something that the Blue Jays organization can only hope for after he produced a -1.0 WAR campaign. Joining MLB Network, Morosi dove into his thoughts surrounding the former Silver Slugger.
"Santander, limited so much in 2025 due to a shoulder and a back issue, indications are for now he's expected to be healthy for the beginning of spring training," Morosi told MLB Network.
Morosi also noted that in his final season with the Orioles, Santander was a primary presence out in right field, something he couldn't do much of last season. And with George Springer increasing in age and decreasing as a run protector in the outfield, having Santander healthy is a must for a bounce-back.
In his final three seasons in Baltimore, Santander proved he can be penciled in as a 150+ games type of player, which Toronto is hoping for, given he is set to earn $16.75 million in 2026, according to Spotrac.com. Last season, Santander only played in 54 regular-season games and hit .200 in five playoff games.
Ultimately, Santander could be a make-or-break player if he doesn't return to the way he was two years ago. His cumulative money total is only set to increase, and he's under contract with the Blue Jays until 2030, which has a club option. He also has an opt-out available in 2028 as well.
The summer months will matter most, which he missed all last season, not only because that's when the divisional race begins to heat up or break away, but also because he has performed best in June and July across his MLB career.
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Dominic Minchella is a 2024 Eastern Michigan University graduate with a BA in Communications, Media, and Theatre Arts and a Journalism minor. He covers Major League Baseball for On SI and spends his free time watching games and sharing his insights.