Blue Jays, Anthony Santander reach 5-year, $92.5M deal

The Toronto Blue Jays and outfielder Anthony Santander are in settlement on a five-year contract price $92.5 million, giving the group the most effective hitters accessible this offseason after failed makes an attempt to land a marquee free agent in recent times.

The deal, introduced by his brokers on the Beverly Hills Sports activities Council and pending a bodily, contains an opt-out clause and an escalated group possibility provision for 2030 that may make the deal price $110 million over six years.

The Blue Jays, who additionally introduced they’d landed Santander, designated left-hander Brandon Eisert for task with a purpose to add the outfielder to the 40-man roster.

A Rule 5 choice after the 2016 season, Santander ascended to a beginning function in the course of the Baltimore Orioles’ lean, rebuilding years earlier than turning into a key element for the franchise’s playoff groups the previous two seasons.

Santander, 30, recorded a profession yr on the proper time in 2024, making his first American League All-Star group and posting a .506 slugging proportion with 44 dwelling runs, 102 RBIs and 25 doubles in 155 video games earlier than reaching free company this winter.

The house runs ranked third within the majors final season behind solely Aaron Choose and Shohei Ohtani. They have been additionally the fifth most for a switch-hitter in a single season and probably the most for a switch-hitter since Lance Berkman hit 45 in 2006.

Santander’s shortcomings — he has a .307 profession on-base proportion and is not a powerful defender — didn’t forestall him from touchdown a multiyear contract with a company that has been thirsting so as to add influence gamers.

The Blue Jays had been thought-about finalists to signal Ohtani, Juan Soto, Corbin Burnes and Roki Sasaki over the previous two offseasons, solely to fall brief every time. In Santander, Toronto provides a star a tier beneath these 4 gamers, however one who will bolster a lineup centered on Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who’s slated at no cost company subsequent winter.

Santander’s offense additionally higher dietary supplements the most effective beginning rotations in baseball, because the group seems to reverse its last-place end in a loaded American League East.

As a result of Santander acquired and rejected a qualifying supply from the Orioles, the Blue Jays will lose their second-highest draft choose in 2025 and $500,000 in worldwide bonus pool room for signing him.