The reigning Toronto Blue Jays announced brutal news as Anthony Santander will likely miss five to six months after undergoing left labral surgery on Feb. 11. As a result, a bat that they were counting on having to help replace the production left behind by Bo Bichette won’t be there.
Since joining the Blue Jays in 2025, it’s been a stint that’s been filled with injuries. Throughout 2025, Santander battled a stubborn left shoulder injury that refused to heal fully, causing him ongoing trouble.
He returned for the postseason, only to have a back injury end his ALCS run. Now, he faces the daunting task of regaining his full health.
Amid the latest injury to Santander, Sportnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith shared his thoughts on the replacement outlook, whether through free agency or trade, as the 2026 MLB season nears.
“The trade market is where you can afford to be much more patient,” Nicholson-Smith said during a Feb. 11 appearance on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.“ “In free agency, you’ve got to move now. This is the time because players are trying to find homes, and we’re seeing that with deals across the league… I don’t know that that hitter is out there in free agency, is my point.
“It might actually come down to a trade at some point during spring. That might mean going through the next six weeks with a fair amount of uncertainty as the Jays explore those different options, which they always do. This could be the year to do it because Leo Jimenez, you want to try to do better than that.”
Blue Jays Unlikely to Make Splashy Trade
Moreover, Nicholson-Smith notes that although the Blue Jays’ window to win a World Series is now, he doesn’t believe they will be looking to make a major trade like the Seattle Mariners did to acquire Brendan Donovan from the St. Louis Cardinals.
“If you were going to try to add to this team, I actually think probably a second baseman who can play a little third would be great,” Nicholson-Smith added. “I mean, Brendan Donovan would have been really good. The Mariners ended up giving a lot up to get Brendan Donovan.
“I don’t think the Blue Jays probably could have topped that offer, even if they had known this on Dec. 1. If they had gone into the offseason knowing that Santander was going to miss time and tried to push for Brendan Donovan, I still think Seattle’s offer would have been better.”
Shane Bieber Injury Update Ahead of 2026 Season
Meanwhile, the other injured Blue Jays player with the season nearing is veteran starting pitcher Shane Bieber. On Feb. 10, Toronto manager John Schneider shared the latest regarding Bieber as the team takes a cautious approach with the player.
“[Bieber’s] here, he’s feeling good and he’s playing catch out to 90 feet,“ Schneider said. “We’re being cautious by saying not [pitching] at the beginning of the year and we’ll work through it with Shane. We’ll go week-to-week with him and see how it’s going.
“No procedures or anything in the offseason, it’s just a high-level pitcher coming off Tommy John and pitching longer than he probably expected in some really high-stress outings. We’re just taking a really, really cautious approach with him.”
Blue Jays Get Blunt Outlook Amid Anthony Santander Injury News