Toronto Blue Jays slugger Anthony Santander returned to the field Wednesday night for the first time since undergoing left labrum surgery in February, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout to begin his rehab stint at Triple-A Buffalo.
Santander, 31, batted cleanup for the Bisons and served as the team’s designated hitter in a 5-4 loss to the Charlotte Knights, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago White Sox.
The Margarita, Venezuela native continues to work his way back to the Blue Jays after being given an initial timeline of five-to-six months following the operation before the start of spring training.
The switch-hitting Santander began hitting off of a pitching machine from both sides of the plate at the team’s Player Development Complex in Dunedin, Fla. last month, and is now back in game action in the latest development in a long rehab process.
An injury to the same shoulder limited him to just 54 regular season games in 2025, his first season in Toronto after signing a lucrative five-year, $92.5 million deal in free agency.
He would miss three months of action that year, but would return for the final two series of the regular season with the Blue Jays in the midst of their run for the 2025 AL East title.
An All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, Santander slashed just .175/.271/.294 with six home runs and 18 RBI with the Blue Jays, and would play in just five playoff games before being removed from Toronto’s American League Championship Series roster with back inflammation.
It remains to be seen whether or not he will rejoin the big league club with just 10 games remaining on Buffalo’s schedule while Toronto continues their push for the American League wild card.
The Blue Jays (73-74) are currently a full game back of the Cleveland Guardians for the last playoff spot as they return home to open a three-game set against the Orioles on Friday.
