Blue Jays' Anthony Santander pursuit could help them sign future Hall of Fame starter

As we have seen all offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays have been coming in second place on nearly every big named free agent on the board. They have been able to land a big name in the bullpen, but that is about it, aside from a trade. Now more than ever, the Blue Jays need to land one of the remaining stars on the market to make a better pitch to other veterans this offseason.

Talks between Anthony Santander and Toronto have reportedly increased, but no deal is done just yet. His 44 home runs and 129 wRC+ would play greatly in the Blue Jays' lineup. Not only would his bat be worth the contract, but it also may play a role in bringing in future Hall of Famer, Max Scherzer.

Blue Jays are showing interest in Max Scherzer, but they must capitalize with an Anthony Santander signing to have a chance.

Ben Nicholson-Smith reported that Scherzer is drawing interest from Toronto and noted that they would need to sign a Santander or even Pete Alonso to make it a more appealing destination. He is right-on for that claim as Toronto's roster is a bit tough to present to a future member of Cooperstown. It is likely that Scherzer wants to play for a contender and bringing in a slugger that they are already interested in could really help convince in the right-hander.

The 40-year-old veteran dealt with injuries in 2024 and when he was healthy, he still put together solid numbers. In just 43.1 innings, Scherzer posted an earned run average of 3.95 with a FIP of 4.18 and struck out 40 batters. Opponents hit just .241 against him and he walked hitters at a 5.6% clip to end up with a WHIP of 1.15. There is a fair argument that Scherzer's best days are behind him and Father Time is undefeated, but taking a short-term gamble on him could pay massive dividends.

After missing out on as many free agents as Toronto did this offseason, fans are extremely frustrated. Watching the Santander market seems like a make or completely break the offseason for the Blue Jays, but if they do happen to land the slugger, it could also potentially land them a future Hall of Famer in Scherzer.

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