Slugger Santander agrees to five-year, US$92.5-million deal with Blue Jays

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This article was published 20/01/2025 (242 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO – After missing out on many of their top free-agent targets in recent weeks, the Toronto Blue Jays have finally made a splash by landing slugger Anthony Santander.

The two sides have agreed to a five-year, US$92.5-million contract, his agency said Monday. The deal includes an opt-out clause and a 2030 team option with escalators that could increase the total value to $110 million, the Beverly Hills Sports Council said.

The Blue Jays have yet to make a formal announcement. A team source confirmed the deal and a physical had been completed.

The addition of Santander, who hit 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs last season for the Baltimore Orioles, should provide some much-needed power in the heart of the Toronto batting order.

A 30-year-old switch-hitter, Santander has spent his entire eight-year big-league career with the Orioles. He had a breakout campaign in 2022 and made the all-star team last season.

The Venezuelan has averaged 35 homers, 95 RBIs and 153 games played over the last three years. Santander will likely serve primarily as a designated hitter with Toronto with occasional spells as a backup outfielder.

The move provides some much-needed protection in the batting order for slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was one of the few offensive bright spots for Toronto last year.

Santander has a career batting average of .246 with a .469 slugging percentage and .776 OPS (on-base plus slugging).

The Blue Jays’ offence never really got on track in 2024 and the team was a seller at the trade deadline. Toronto ended up finishing last in the American League East with a 74-88 record.

This is a critical off-season for the Blue Jays, who reached the wild-card round in three of four years before last season’s disappointment.

Toronto was in the mix for Juan Soto before he joined the New York Mets in December. The Blue Jays also were reportedly one of the finalists for Roki Sasaki before the Japanese pitcher agreed to his contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers last week.

The Blue Jays did acquire second baseman Andres Gimenez last month and have added relievers Yimi Garcia and Jeff Hoffman via free agency to shore up their bullpen.

But the Santander deal is the first big move that addressed the team’s offence.

Santander was the majors’ first switch hitter to reach 40 homers since 2006. He became the fourth switch hitter to hit at least 44 homers in a season, joining Mickey Mantle (twice), Lance Berkman and Chipper Jones.

Santander signed with Cleveland as an international free agent in July 2011. He was selected by Baltimore in the Rule 5 draft in December 2016.

After being sidelined by right elbow inflammation, he made his major league debut with the Orioles on Aug. 18, 2017, but he appeared in only 13 games that first year.

In 2022, Santander hit .240 with 33 homers and 89 RBIs in 152 games. He stamped himself as part of an emerging group of young players as the Orioles went 83-79 after losing 110 games in the previous season.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.

With files from The Associated Press.