Now is the time for Anthony Santander to prove he’s a $92.5 million player

Now is the time the Blue Jays need to be at their best. They’ve lost their AL East lead, being tied with the New York Yankees, although the Blue Jays own the tiebreaker, and the Seattle Mariners are within a game of the American League best record. However, the Blue Jays' offense is struggling to produce runs. The team is feeling a massive void ever since Bo Bichette’s knee sprain on September 6, which has kept him on the injured list.

Before the September 25 game, the Blue Jays averaged 1.4 runs, with 43 strikeouts and three home runs over the last seven games. In that span, they ranked 28th in batting average (.160), 28th in OPS (.484), and tied for 26th in RBIs (12).

Now is the time for Anthony Santander to prove he’s a $92.5 million player

Anthony Santander has been out since May 30 with shoulder inflammation, but before his exit, he slashed .179/.273/.304 with 14 runs, six home runs, and 18 knocked in over 209 plate appearances. While he may have struggled, it’s a good time for him to return. The 30-year-old finished his 10 rehab games with Triple-A Buffalo by going 7-32 with two doubles and two home runs.

With the Triple-A season coming to an end on September 21, the team waited until Tuesday to reinstate Santander from the 60-day injured list. However, to make room on the 40-man roster, Alex Manoah was designated for assignment. Then, to make room on the 28-man roster, Ty France was placed on the 10-day injured list with left oblique inflammation.

Santander returns when the Blue Jays need a solution for their slumping offense and postseason aspirations. Having secured a playoff spot, their path to a division title and a Wild Card bye likely depends on Santander sparking the lineup.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who signed a 14-year, $500 million contract in April, has hit .212 with two runs and four RBIs since September 10. Bo Bichette may return for the postseason; however, it'd be ideal to avoid the Wild Card round to give him additional time for recovery.

The lone bright spot in September has been the bat of George Springer. He's slashing .321/.400/.607 in the month, with a 1.007 OPS, 17 runs, six home runs, and 12 knocked in. However, in the seven-game skid for the team, Springer is 7-28 with one run, one home run, two knocked in, and nine strikeouts.

The Blue Jays' $92.5 million investment in Santander is justified only if he delivers power for the Blue Jays now. Despite a quiet return on Wednesday (0-3 with two strikeouts) as the designated hitter in a 7-1 loss to the Red Sox, his performance in the last four games could define whether Toronto capitalizes on its postseason opportunity. However, the team will also need a production increase from all its stars, or else the offseason will begin sooner than fans had been expecting.