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Why Anthony Santander’s contract is trending in the wrong direction for Blue Jays

GM Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays might be wishing they could get a do-over on this one.
ByEdward Eng
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Oct 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander (25) waits his turn at batting practice during workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Oct 3, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander (25) waits his turn at batting practice during workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Toronto Blue Jays have made many signings during GM Ross Atkins tenure. He took over the reigns in Toronto ahead of the 2016 season. Over the last decade there have been plenty of deals that the Blue Jays probably don't love, but there is one deal that stands out as signing they may end up severely regretting. That is the free agent signing of outfielder Anthony Santander.

Santander posted career highs in runs scored (91), home runs (44) and RBIs (102) for the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. That led to the Blue Jays signing him to a five-year deal worth
$92.5 million that offseason. The expectation was that the slugger would provide an immediate impact with the ballclub.

However, Santander’s tenure with the Blue Jays so far has been disastrous to say the least. The 32-year-old outfielder has spent more time on the injured list than actually playing. Even when he was healthy enough to play, the results were disappointing. In 54 total games with Toronto (all in 2025), Santander compiled a dismal .175 batting average, .565 OPS, with 16 runs scored, five doubles, six home runs and 18 RBIs.

That kind of production was a far cry from the big numbers he was posting with the Orioles. Santander had a prime opportunity to redeem himself during the 2025 postseason, but he quickly found himself back on the sidelines with another injury after five playoff games.

Two years in and Anthony Santander's contract looks regrettable by the day

It may only be two years into his five-year deal but the Blue Jays have essentially gotten nothing out of Santander for $37 million already. Sure, he has the opportunity to make up for it over the next three years, however, with recurring shoulder and back injuries that have plagued him, his health will be the biggest concern.

Even if he manages to stay healthy, expecting him to reproduce his 2024 All-Star numbers will be highly unlikely. Santander will be entering the later stages of his career during the remainder of the deal, leaving the Blue Jays to count on a rebound from a player whose recent seasons have been disrupted by multiple injuries. If his power does not return, his limited defensive value could make it difficult for Toronto to justify keeping him in an everyday role.

That does not make the contract irredeemable, but the path toward salvaging the investment is slipping away. For someone the Blue Jays expected to help complement the lineup around Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Santander has yet to become anything close to that.

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