Toronto Blue Jays 'Badly Covet' Free Agent Slugger Anthony Santander, Per Report

Anthony Santander, who is coming off a career year with the Baltimore Orioles, is one of the Toronto Blue Jays' top targets outside of Juan Soto and Max Fried.

Aug 7, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Baltimore Orioles right fielder Anthony Santander (25) runs the bases and celebrates hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays during the eighth inning at Rogers Centre. / Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Toronto Blue Jays are shooting for the stars this winter, and one in particular has surfaced as a potential fit.

While rumors continue to swirl around the Blue Jays' interest in Juan Soto and Max Fried, USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Monday that they "badly covet" Anthony Santander.

Santander is coming off a career year with the Baltimore Orioles in which he made his first All-Star appearance, won a Silver Slugger and finished 14th in AL MVP voting. The 30-year-old right fielder hit .235 with 44 home runs, 102 RBI, an .814 OPS and a 2.9 WAR across 155 games in 2024.

The switch-hitter has been a staple in Baltimore's lineup since June 2019, and he has missed just 26 total games since the start of 2022. Over the last six seasons, Santander has averaged 36 home runs, 34 doubles, 99 RBI and 2.7 WAR per 162 games.

Santander has done a lot of that damage against the Blue Jays, racking up 21 home runs, 15 doubles and 52 RBI with a .258 batting average and .845 OPS in those head-to-head matchups. In 27 career games at Rogers Centre, however, Santander is a .194 hitter with six home runs, 16 RBI and a .673 OPS.

According to Nightengale, the fact that first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and shortstop Bo Bichette are slated to hit the open market next year is putting the Blue Jays at a disadvantage in their negotiations with top free agents. Toronto does not have much leverage, since players are well aware that Guerrero and Bichette could both be gone by 2026.

That is expected to have an impact on the Blue Jays' pursuit of Soto, Fried, Corbin Burnes and others, including Santander.

MLB Trade Rumors predicted Santander to land a four-year, $80 million contract, while The Athletic had him down for $105 million over five years. Spotrac has calculated Santander's market value to be five years, $88.7 million.

Toronto currently has George Springer in place as their right fielder, and he remains under contract for two more seasons. The six-year, $150 million deal the Blue Jays gave Springer in 2021 remains the largest in franchise history.

While Springer's OPS has dropped in each of his four years in Toronto, he is likely to remain the team's leadoff man come Opening Day. He won't move to center field, either, since Daulton Varsho has solidified himself as a Gold Glover at that position.

If the Blue Jays were to sign Santander, either he or Springer would slide over to left field or become their designated hitter. Soto would take on a similar role in Toronto, making Santander the perfect backup plan to the New York Yankees megastar.

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