The Toronto Blue Jays are banking on a big bounce-back season for Anthony Santander.
Santander was Toronto’s big free agent signing a year ago, but his first year was a bad one. He dealt with injuries all season, which resulted in him playing in just 54 games.
Although it was a frustrating season for everyone, Blue Jays hitting coach David Popkins expects a great season for Santander in 2026. He also believes Santander has a major chip on his shoulder to prove the doubters wrong.
“He’s a hard worker; he really had a lot of things physically going on that made it tough for him,” Popkins said to Gate 14. “If you watch him, he gets into the cage, he’s taking a lot of swings, he knows what he wants to work on, (and) he knows what has worked for him in the past.
“He’s got his own strength coach who helps him and works with him. The guy really knows how to be successful, I’m excited to see him come back and come back on a little vengeance tour and remind the league on who Anthony Santander is.”
It’s a bold comment from Popkins as he has full confidence that Santander will return to form and be an impact hitter for the Blue Jays in 2026.
Santander hit 44 home runs and 102 RBIs in 2024 with the Baltimore Orioles before his injury-riddled season with the Blue Jays.
Blue Jays Manager Has Full Confidence in Santander
Toronto went out and signed Santander last offseason to add some power to the lineup.
The switch-hitter has been a great slugger in his career, and after his injury-riddled season, Blue Jays manager John Schneider has confidence he will return to form.
“Tony is going to be huge for us,” said Schneider. “Speaking to him at the end of the year and in the postseason, he battled to get back. … He wanted to be part of it so bad. He wanted to get off on the right foot. It didn’t happen.”
If Santander is fully healthy in 2026, it will be a big boost to the Blue Jays’ lineup.
Schneider, like Popkins, believes Santander has a chip on his shoulder and has something to prove.
“He is motivated. He is hungry to get back to the player we know he is,” Schneider added. “He’s a big part of what we’re doing. Again, I don’t want him — I’ve told him this, ‘I don’t want you to think you have to do anything you don’t do well. You don’t have to come back and hit .300 with 50 homers to make up for last year.’ We need Tony to fit in the way we know he can when we signed him.”
Santander hit .175 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs last season in just 54 games.
Santander Could Replace Void of Bo Bichette
Toronto lost on Kyle Tucker and Bo Bichette, and although that was disappointing, Santander could help replace that void.
When healthy, Santander will be one of the top sluggers on the Blue Jays, as he’s predicted to lead the team in home runs.
Santander, being a switch-hitter, also adds a lefty to the lineup when needed, which gives Toronto some lineup flexibility.
Toronto signed Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million deal.
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