The Toronto Blue Jays had TO DO something.
After futile runs against several top free agents – Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki all rejected the Canadian team this winter – the Jays found themselves in a position of desperation. Their squad, although capable of competing in 2025, remains incomplete and understaffed, particularly in attack. And with two of the club’s franchise cornerstones, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, just a year away from free agency, the future was growing increasingly unclear. The pressure, for this franchise without a playoff victory since 2016, had reached its peak.
But on Monday, the Jays gave themselves some breathing space and a much-needed injection of power, with the club reportedly agreed to terms on five-year contract with outfielder Anthony Santander. It’s an inevitable and obvious duo between a team that sorely lacks pop and a free agent with immense juice.
Toronto finished 26th in home runs in 2024. No player except Guerrero topped 20 long balls. Only six players reached double digits. The club’s 156 homers were the franchise’s lowest total in a single season since 2004. It was, for a team with playoff aspirations, an embarrassing result.
Enter Santander.
The former Oriole hit 44 big flies in 2024. Only Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, the sports league’s two MVPs, finished the season with a higher total. Santander’s total was the fifth-most home runs ever by a hitter and the most since Lance Berkman launched 45 in 2006. Berkman, Chipper Jones and Mickey Mantle are the only ones on either side above Santander on the list of a single season.
And while 2024 was a notable breakthrough, the broad-shouldered Venezuelan has established himself as a formidable mid-major force with strong campaigns in 2022 and 2023. Since the start of the 2022 season, only Judge, Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Matt Olson have hit more home runs than Santander. His long journey from Rule 5 pick to All-Star was a huge developmental achievement for the Orioles, and Santander became a key cog in their offense as the club returned to contention.
While Santander’s pop is undeniable, the rest of his game has some flaws – flaws that cast a shadow over his long pact with the Jays.
Defensively, the 30-year-old Santander is limited, a subpar glove in one corner of the outfield. As he ages and his speed continues to decline, a move to first base or designated hitter could be beneficial. And while his offensive profile is impactful, an over-reliance on the long ball could become a problem as the years go by. Santander posted a career-low batting average in 2024 while walking far less than you’d like.
Then again, few contracts in MLB are designed to look squeaky clean at the end. Santander could decline as he approaches his 30s. Many other players have done it. But he’s also been incredibly durable, playing at least 150 games in each of the last three seasons, a feat accomplished by only 15 other players.
For Toronto, put it all together, and this deal represents a risk worth taking.
Santander could rip 40 more homers in 2025 and help propel the Jays to October glory. Even if he doesn’t, even if he’s not a franchise cornerstone, Santander is an extremely valuable complementary piece, especially for a Jays team that entered the offseason with a group of shallow players. But with his arrival, as well as the acquisition of Andrés Jiménez earlier this winter, Toronto has a strong group of hitters to go along with a solid starting rotation.
Another bullpen arm to complement the addition of closer Jeff Hoffman and a left-handed DH type, like Joey Gallo, Anthony Rizzo or David Peralta, on a one-year deal would round out a strong offseason for the Jays. Lately, the dominant narrative around this team has been their inability to land the big, high-end fish. Viewed as a whole, Toronto has improved its 2024 version more this offseason than at least two of its division rivals (Tampa Bay and Baltimore).
None of this will ease the pain of missing Sasaki, Soto and Burnes, but credit must be given to Toronto’s front office for doing what they had to do. Santander can’t single-handedly solve the Blue Jays’ problems, but he can certainly help.
