Blue Jays’ Anthony Santander out again amid injury struggles and lineup shuffle

The Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with another injury, as Anthony Santander remains out of action due to left hip soreness. Saturday marks the second straight game the slugger has missed, and it’s yet another blow to a club already battling through injuries and inconsistency.

As part of the Blue Jays injury report, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet noted that Santander’s hip flared up after a swing on Thursday. That development explains why he was not used as a pinch-hitter during Friday’s one-run loss to the Tigers, even in a high-leverage ninth-inning situation.

“Anthony Santander still out of the Blue Jays lineup Saturday with hip soreness that popped up after a swing Thursday,”  Davidi posted on X, formerly Twitter. “Explains why he didn’t pinch-hit last night either.”

Manager John Schneider, facing growing pressure amid offensive struggles, opted to shift Vladimir Guerrero Jr. into the DH spot on Saturday, placing Ernie Clement at first and Michael Stefanic at second. These adjustments are the latest ripple effects in ongoing Blue Jays lineup news.

Before this most recent setback, Santander was already in a slump, going 1-for-12 with five strikeouts in his last three games. His season line now sits at .187 with five home runs and 16 RBI—a far cry from the 44-homer breakout he posted in 2024. The Santander injury report now clouds any short-term rebound plans, as the Blue Jays evaluate both his health and role moving forward.

The club is hoping that Santander won’t need an IL stint, but the continued day-to-day status may force Schneider to look deeper into bench options. With Daulton Varsho now leading the team in home runs, Toronto may need to lean more on role players in the short term.

As the team navigates May challenges, Santander remains a key name in the lineup discussion—when healthy.