When the Toronto Blue Jays handed Anthony Santander a five-year, $92.5 million deal this offseason, they thought they were getting a proven power bat, a division rival’s backbone turned savior for their inconsistent lineup.
Instead, they might have a high-priced hole in the middle of the order.
Santander’s latest 0-for-4 effort against the Texas Rangers dropped his season slash line to .189/.274/.320 with a .594 OPS. He has six home runs, 18 RBI, and a growing pile of questions that MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson had and manager John Schneider has no easy answers for.
It’s no longer early. It’s no longer just a slump. This is now a pattern — and one that’s holding Toronto back.
Injuries? Sure. Excuses? Not Enough.
Santander hasn’t been 100% healthy. He dinged up his shoulder, diving into the stands in Anaheim, then his hip flared up. He’s admitted he’s not entirely himself, especially from the right side of the plate.
But there’s a difference between being banged up and being unplayable.
Santander has always described himself as a rhythm hitter, but even that rhythm is off-key right now. According to Statcast, he’s been chasing pitches out of the zone, striking out 51 times already — and we’re not even in June. His advanced metrics are even more alarming: 1st percentile in expected batting average, 8th percentile in expected slugging, and 21st percentile barrel rate.
You don’t pay nearly $100 million for that kind of production.
No Signs of Life in the Box
In Monday’s win over Texas, the Jays got a gutsy eight-inning gem from Kevin Gausman and beat Jacob deGrom without a single strikeout from the Rangers’ ace. It should’ve been a feel-good win. But Santander went hitless again, now riding a stretch with just one home run in his last 15 games.
Even in the Blue Jays’ recent low point — a 13-0 beatdown to complete a sweep in Tampa — Santander’s lone “highlight” was an 11-pitch at-bat in garbage time. That’s where the bar is now. Seeing a dozen pitches and fouling some off is considered progress.
The Cost of Consistency
The Jays aren’t built to survive prolonged slumps from their middle-of-the-order bats. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has picked up steam. The supporting cast — guys like Daulton Varsho and George Springer — are contributing. But this lineup was supposed to be anchored by a dependable thump.
Santander was brought in to be that guy. Now, he’s a liability.
And John Schneider knows it. The Jays’ manager has shuffled him around the order, tried playing him in the field more, sat him, and then started him again. None of it’s working.
“He’s competing,” Schneider said after the Tampa sweep. “It’s not about effort. It’s about staying mentally locked in.”
But the effort doesn’t drive in runs. Effort doesn’t make up for a .189 average and a negative WAR.
The Clock Is Ticking
What makes all of this worse is how the Blue Jays are hovering near .500 — just close enough to contend but never comfortable. And they’re doing it without Santander contributing anything meaningful to the plate.
That might be a silver lining. If the Jays can stay afloat without one of their supposed stars, maybe they’ll take off once he finds his swing.
But that’s a dangerous bet. Patience is wearing thin, and the calendar keeps flipping. The Blue Jays didn’t pay for a long warm-up period. They paid for power — and they need it now.
If Santander doesn’t turn it around soon, his deal won’t just look bad. It’ll become one of the biggest albatrosses in baseball.
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