Anthony Santander showcases confidence that Blue Jays could push for championship

Wild Card Series - Kansas City Royals v Baltimore Orioles - Game 2
Wild Card Series - Kansas City Royals v Baltimore Orioles - Game 2 | Greg Fiume/GettyImages

The Toronto Blue Jays recently made the decision to sign Anthony Santander to a long-term, five-year contract to bolster their depth as they look to bounce back from a tough 2024 season. He was one of the most coveted free agents this offseason, and it was someone the Blue Jays have had their eyes on since the 2024 campaign was completed. Luckily, he wasn't someone they missed out on after losing out on several other big-name players.

After missing out on Juan Soto to the Mets, Corbin Burnes to the Diamondbacks, and Roki Sasaki to the Dodgers, it was nice to finally see the Blue Jays make a splash. While Santander is expected to add lots of offensive production for the 2025 season, he seems even more confident in what the Blue Jays could accomplish this season.

In a recent statement after signing with Toronto, Santander said "I can’t wait to be with my brothers. It starts on day one of spring training. Work hard, get better every single day, and go after the championship...That’s what we’re looking for. That’s what I’m here for."

Anthony Santander confident Blue Jays could push for championship in 2025

For a player of Santander's caliber to believe in the Blue Jays' ability to make a push for a World Series, is a huge thing. Many fans have counted them out heading into the 2025 season, so it's nice to see some reassurance that the team is looking to go all-in and try to win a championship with their current core as they try to silence all the noise of trade rumours and criticisms.

The Blue Jays are about a month away from spring training and still have time to make some more moves. There have been connections to Pete Alonso and Jurickson Profar (the latter of which is no longer available), but most fans are hoping the team can extend superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term deal before the season gets underway. Either way, this should be an exciting season for Blue Jays fans, and it's positive to see their players have faith in their ability to make a deep run in the postseason.

Santander, who is 30 years old, had 44 home runs and 102 runs batted in with the Baltimore Orioles last season and had a .235 batting average. Throughout his career, he has a .246 batting average through 2830 at bats and has proven himself to be trustworthy, if underwhelming, defensively.

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