The Toronto Blue Jays have made a significant offseason move, acquiring All-Star outfielder Anthony Santander to strengthen their already formidable lineup. According to a source with direct knowledge of the deal, the agreement is pending a physical. Details regarding the contract’s financial terms and duration have not yet been disclosed.
The Blue Jays have been active in pursuing high-profile talent in recent years, coming close to landing Shohei Ohtani last season and being contenders for Juan Soto before he joined the New York Mets in December. reported by MLB. Toronto was also a finalist in the pursuit of Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, who ultimately signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers.
This time, however, the Blue Jays succeeded in adding Santander, a powerful switch-hitter, to a lineup that already features stars like Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Santander is coming off a career-best season with the Baltimore Orioles, where he posted personal highs in home runs (44), RBIs (102), and runs scored (91) across 155 games. Despite a .235 batting average, his slugging percentage stood at an impressive .506, earning him his first-ever AL All-Star selection. At 30 years old, Santander became the first switch-hitter to hit at least 40 home runs in a season since 2006 and joined an elite group of switch-hitters, including Mickey Mantle, Lance Berkman, and Chipper Jones, to surpass 44 homers in a single year.
The Venezuelan slugger was instrumental in helping Baltimore secure consecutive playoff appearances, though the Orioles were swept by Kansas City in the opening round of the postseason. Santander originally signed with Cleveland as an international free agent in 2011 before being selected by Baltimore in the Rule 5 Draft in 2016. He debuted in the majors in 2017 but played only 13 games due to elbow inflammation.
Santander began to flourish in 2022, hitting .240 with 33 homers and 89 RBIs. The following year, he played a key role as Baltimore captured the AL East title with a 101-61 record, finishing the season with a .257 batting average, 28 home runs, 95 RBIs, and a career-high 41 doubles. Despite their regular-season success, the Orioles were swept in the AL Division Series by the Texas Rangers.
With Santander joining the roster, the Blue Jays aim to build on their playoff aspirations and compete for a World Series title in the coming season.