The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to another player.

In an article for <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2024/11/25/mlb-rumors-juan-soto-latest-news-trade-market/76556552007/">USA Today on Monday morning, Bob Nightengale</a> linked the Blue Jays to former Baltimore Oriole, Anthony Santander, noting that they “badly covet” him.
Anthony Santander is arguably the best power bat available in free agency. Last season, the 30-year-old outfielder slashed .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs in 665 plate appearances, giving him a 129 wRC+ and a 3.3 fWAR. For his career, Santander is slashing .246/.307/.469 with 155 home runs in 3,115 plate appearances, with a 113 wRC+ and a 9.6 fWAR.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Anthony Santander doinks one off the pole! <a href="https://t.co/eDiTUwGWaH">pic.twitter.com/eDiTUwGWaH</a>
&mdash; MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1838743886027706561?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Defensively, Santander isn’t great. Last season, he played right field and had -7 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average in 1119.1 innings caught in the outfield. For his career, he has -3 DRS and -13 OAA in 5007 innings.
If the Blue Jays miss out on Juan Soto, Santander would be a nice pivot as it’ll give them a power bat in the outfield for the first time since the Teoscar Hernández trade.
<h2>The latest on Juan Soto</h2>
In the same article, Nightengale notes that there are four finalists for Soto’s services: The Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and Mets, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Nightengale believes he’ll sign before the conclusion of the Winter Meetings.
He notes that the Blue Jays could be a sleeper, but they’ll have to beat the Mets’ offer. It’s worth noting that Mets’ owner Steven Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, but the Blue Jays’ owner, Edward Rogers III, the head of Rogers Communications, is a close second. However, Nightengale sees the Mets as “the clear-cut favourites”.
On Sunday, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that teams will begin giving Soto offers this week. We’re still a bit away from Soto actually signing, but this is a big step in determining where he’ll play next season and beyond. Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, it’s with the Blue Jays.
<h2>Former Blue Jay Casey Lawrence helped USA Baseball to a bronze medal in Premier12</h2>
Over the weekend, USA Baseball won the bronze medal in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 tournament.
Former Blue Jay Casey Lawrence started the game, finishing with a line of 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K as the USA defeated Venezuela 6-1 on Sunday to secure the bronze medal. Winning the gold medal was Chinese Taipei, who defeated Japan 4-0 in the Tokyo Dome for their first gold medal at the tournament.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="550" data-dnt="true">
Casey Lawrence is absolutely dialed. 
Six strikeouts through five scoreless 🔥 <a href="https://t.co/PdSRP9gZAx">pic.twitter.com/PdSRP9gZAx</a>
&mdash; USA Baseball (@USABaseball) <a href="https://twitter.com/USABaseball/status/1860545003745083752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 24, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Lawrence signed with the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent after the 2010 draft. He spent his first seven professional seasons with the team, eventually making the big leagues in 2017 for a cup of coffee, before spending the next two seasons with the Seattle Mariners and in Japan.
Lawrence returned for a second stint in 2021, pitching exclusively with the Blue Jays minor league teams that season. However, he returned to the big leagues with the Jays in 2022 and 2023. Overall, the 37-year-old has a 6.75 ERA and a 5.56 FIP in 124 innings in the big leagues, with 31.1 of those innings coming with the Jays.
Also pitching for the USA team was former Blue Jay Anthony Gose.
<hr />
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

The Toronto Blue Jays have been linked to another player.



In an article for <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2024/11/25/mlb-rumors-juan-soto-latest-news-trade-market/76556552007/">USA Today on Monday morning, Bob Nightengale</a> linked the Blue Jays to former Baltimore Oriole, Anthony Santander, noting that they “badly covet” him.

Anthony Santander is arguably the best power bat available in free agency. Last season, the 30-year-old outfielder slashed .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs in 665 plate appearances, giving him a 129 wRC+ and a 3.3 fWAR. For his career, Santander is slashing .246/.307/.469 with 155 home runs in 3,115 plate appearances, with a 113 wRC+ and a 9.6 fWAR.

https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1838743886027706561

Defensively, Santander isn’t great. Last season, he played right field and had -7 Defensive Runs Saved and -2 Outs Above Average in 1119.1 innings caught in the outfield. For his career, he has -3 DRS and -13 OAA in 5007 innings.

If the Blue Jays miss out on Juan Soto, Santander would be a nice pivot as it’ll give them a power bat in the outfield for the first time since the Teoscar Hernández trade.
<h2>The latest on Juan Soto</h2>
In the same article, Nightengale notes that there are four finalists for Soto’s services: The Boston Red Sox, the New York Yankees and Mets, and the Toronto Blue Jays. Nightengale believes he’ll sign before the conclusion of the Winter Meetings.

He notes that the Blue Jays could be a sleeper, but they’ll have to beat the Mets’ offer. It’s worth noting that Mets’ owner Steven Cohen is the richest owner in baseball, but the Blue Jays’ owner, Edward Rogers III, the head of Rogers Communications, is a close second. However, Nightengale sees the Mets as “the clear-cut favourites”.

On Sunday, ESPN’s Buster Olney reported that teams will begin giving Soto offers this week. We’re still a bit away from Soto actually signing, but this is a big step in determining where he’ll play next season and beyond. Hopefully, when it’s all said and done, it’s with the Blue Jays.
<h2>Former Blue Jay Casey Lawrence helped USA Baseball to a bronze medal in Premier12</h2>
Over the weekend, USA Baseball won the bronze medal in the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s Premier12 tournament.

Former Blue Jay Casey Lawrence started the game, finishing with a line of 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 7 K as the USA defeated Venezuela 6-1 on Sunday to secure the bronze medal. Winning the gold medal was Chinese Taipei, who defeated Japan 4-0 in the Tokyo Dome for their first gold medal at the tournament.

https://twitter.com/USABaseball/status/1860545003745083752

Lawrence signed with the Blue Jays as an undrafted free agent after the 2010 draft. He spent his first seven professional seasons with the team, eventually making the big leagues in 2017 for a cup of coffee, before spending the next two seasons with the Seattle Mariners and in Japan.

Lawrence returned for a second stint in 2021, pitching exclusively with the Blue Jays minor league teams that season. However, he returned to the big leagues with the Jays in 2022 and 2023. Overall, the 37-year-old has a 6.75 ERA and a 5.56 FIP in 124 innings in the big leagues, with 31.1 of those innings coming with the Jays.

Also pitching for the USA team was former Blue Jay Anthony Gose.

<hr />

As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

News and Notes: Blue Jays “badly covet” Anthony Santander, according to Bob Nightengale

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