The Toronto Blue Jays have finally made a big move, signing Silver Slugger Anthony Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million club option reports The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal. There is a club option for a sixth year, which would make the value of $110 million.
The Blue Jays will lose their second-highest draft in 2025 along with $500,000 in international bonus pool space for 2026 since Santander received a qualifying offer from the Baltimore Orioles.
Blue Jays, OF Anthony Santander are reportedly in agreement on a contract. pic.twitter.com/tDyNpV498J
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) January 20, 2025
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Santander, 30, is coming off a career year and was one of the biggest free agents on the market. After being claimed in the Rule 5 draft by the Orioles in 2016, Santander has spent his entire 8-year career with the Orioles. Despite a slower start to his career, Santander has established himself as one of the top power hitters in the league.
Blue Jays Agree to Deal with Anthony Santander
Anthony Santander began his MLB career in 2017 but dealt with a slew of injuries over the next few seasons. He finally found an everyday spot in 2019 for the Orioles. Since that point, Santander has emerged as one of the premier switch-hitting power hitters in the majors. As his playing time increased, so did his extra-base hit totals, which increased every year of his career up until 2024, where he matched his 2023 total.
In 2023, Santander emerged as an elite player. While the Orioles made a push for their first division title in 9 years, Santander was a key reason why. He had 28 home runs, 95 RBI, and a 3.0 bWar. His contributions down the stretch helped the Orioles reach the playoffs not only in 2023 but again in 2024.
After a career year in 2024, Santander will surely bring some of the same in 2025. A few firsts for Santander in 2024 include his first: All-Star game, Silver Slugger award, 40 home-run season, and 100 RBI season. On all accounts, Santander transformed into a star during the 2024 season, and all signs point toward him turning into one the the league’s most prolific power threats.
Although currently a full-time outfielder, Santander is poised to make the transition into a first-baseman/designated hitter. He is not the fastest in the outfield, and he is sometimes unreliable in larger outfields. Many power-hitting outfielders eventually make this switch, and Santander projects to be the next. However, as long as hit bat doesn’t slow down, he should remain a very reliable player.
Main Photo: © David Butler II-Imagn Images
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