Blue Jays' projected Opening Day lineup after Anthony Santander signing

The Toronto Blue Jays front office must have been getting weary of the "runner-up" tag they had been saddled with this offseason. On Monday, they did something about it and landed a big bat with some thump, signing outfielder Anthony Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million deal. The agreement includes a team option, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal.

The addition of the longtime Baltimore Orioles slugger immediately lengthens the lineup and gives Toronto manager John Schneider another legitimate power weapon who can help protect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. A career .246 hitter, Santander is coming off the best non-shortened season of his career since debuting in 2017.

The native of Venezuela hit .235 with a .506 slugging percentage and .814 OPS (134 OPS+). He mashed a career-best 44 home runs and drove in a career-high 102. He was named to the AL All-Star team for the first time, won his first Silver Slugger and even received some MVP votes.

Blue Jays' projected Opening Day lineup after Anthony Santander signing

While seeing a repeat of his special 2024 season is likely out of the question for the 30-year-old veteran, he's a player who fits the Blue Jays' needs and one they were rumored to be interested in all offseason. So, where will Santander fit in the Blue Jays' Opening Day lineup when they open the season at home against his former club, the Orioles, on March 27?

Here's a projected 2025 Opening Day lineup:

1. RF George Springer (R)
2. SS Bo Bichette (R)
3. 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (R)
4. LF Anthony Santander (S)
5. DH Will Wagner (L)
6. C Alejandro Kirk (R)
7. 2B Andrés Giménez (L)
8. 3B Ernie Clement (R)
9. CF Miles Straw (R)

With the switch-hitting Santander inserted into the top four, Schneider does have some more flexibility if he wants to break up the three consecutive right-handed batters at the top of the order. However, it's easy to see him giving Bo Bichette his old No. 2 spot back to start the season and using Santander in the clean-up spot, which will force pitchers to throw to Guerrero.

As for the outfield alignment, Santander has more experience and better results in right field, with 4,213 innings there compared to 638 in left. He has a career -9 defensive runs saved (DRS) as a left fielder and +9 DRS in right. The always defensive-conscious Blue Jays might opt to shift George Springer to left field, even though he's only played three innings there in his career — don't forget he was primarily a center fielder for six seasons before moving to right in 2023.

Wherever Santander lines up, his addition ensures the Blue Jays don't have to go into the year relying on the young but promising bat of Joey Loperfido, who can safely begin the year in Triple-A, Davis Schneider, who went through some massive struggles at the dish last season, or Nathan Lukes.

If you're wondering why Miles Straw is penciled in for center field duties, don't forget that it's highly likely that Gold Glover Daulton Varsho begins the season still recovering from shoulder surgery. And as bad as the acquisition looks now, the Blue Jays will want to get something out of the gifted defender until Varsho is good to go, per MLB.com's Keegan Matheson — especially since they will be paying him a little more than $10 million over the next two years.