Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander’s tenure with the organization has been full of setbacks and underperformance. When on the field he has been a shell of the player the Blue Jays thought they were signing two offseasons ago. However, the biggest problem has been his unavailability.
Santander played just 54 games in 2025 due to a recurring shoulder issue and nagging lower back tightness that carried into the postseason. Both issues have followed him into this year. He underwent left shoulder surgery in February and has been recovering ever since, finally beginning a rehab assignment this September.
Unfortunately, the back problems have once again become a concern. Ahead of Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, manager John Schneider announced that Santander had been scratched from the lineup with the Triple-A Bisons due to lower back soreness. He is considered day-to-day moving forward, via Thomas Hall of Blue Jays Nation.
Given where the Blue Jays are in the regular season with just 11 games remaining, this certainly complicates whether Santander can return regardless of whether Toronto makes the postseason. Entering Tuesday they still trail the Cleveland Guardians by one game for the final American League wild card spot.
If Santander gets past the back issue there is still no guarantee he makes it onto the postseason roster.
However, there is a strong case to be made that he should if he is healthy. Santander is just two seasons removed from an All-Star campaign with the Baltimore Orioles where he hit 44 home runs and finished 14th in AL MVP voting.
The Blue Jays are running out of time to get a definitive answer on Santander’s health, and at this point every day he remains unavailable makes his return feel less likely.
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