Blue Jays face roster decision on Anthony Santander as Triple-A season comes to end
Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
Sep 21, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Sep 20, 2026, 23:00 EDT
The Toronto Blue Jays need to make a decision on Anthony Santander.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bisons wrapped up their season with a 15-8 loss against the Rochester Red Wings, and Santander found himself in the Bisons’ lineup for the third consecutive contest.
After appearing on September 11, Santander ended up missing the next four games during his Triple-A rehab stint due to back tightness. In his final three games, Santander went 3-for-10 with a double, an RBI and four walks.
On Friday night, Santander started in left field before occupying the designated hitter spot during Saturday’s loss. On Sunday, Santander DH’d once again, and the time has run out for the 31-year-old to appear in rehab games.
Through five games with the Bisons, Santander batted .235 with one RBI and reached base at a .381 clip. While the results don’t matter much for players on rehab assignments, Santander has missed the entire 2026 season as he attempts to work his way back from February surgery to repair a torn left shoulder labrum.
After signing a five-year, $92.5-million contract on January 20, 2025, Santander’s time in a Blue Jays uniform has been underwhelming to this point. Santander has only played in 54 games, and during that span batted .175 with six home runs and 18 RBIs.
Santander went on the injured list last season on May 30 and remained out of action until September 23 with left shoulder inflammation. Santander returned for four games down the stretch before appearing in five playoff games before a back injury forced the Blue Jays to remove him from the American League Championship Series roster.
With only six games remaining on the Blue Jays’ schedule, the hope would be for Santander to bring a power threat to a lineup that is tied for 28th in MLB with 149 home runs. With George Springer currently banged up and the chance for at-bats in left field, Santander could return this week as he tries to appear in a big-league game during the 2026 campaign.
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