Blue Jays facing $92.5 million ‘panic’ after opening month

The Toronto Blue Jays have gotten off to a disappointing 13-16 start during the 2025 MLB season. There were some high hopes for this team, but being three games below .500 going into May isn’t what many expected from the Blue Jays. Furthermore, one concern has been the play of outfielder Anthony Santander.

After the Blue Jays missed on some key free agents, they were able to sign Santander to a five-year deal worth $92.5 million.

But, the former Baltimore Orioles star is hitting just .174 with three home runs and nine RBI. As such, ESPN’s Jeff Passan had Santander in a section of players who are warranting panic.

“Spending the first month as a $92.5 million free agent below the Mendoza Line is tough. Doing so with a barrel rate that has cratered and only three home runs this year after hitting 44 is doubly so. Santander is not elevating the ball nearly as well as he did in 2024 — a problem Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had last year before his second-half resurgence. If the Blue Jays have any hope of contending in the AL East, they’ll need Santander to do the same.”

For some perspective, Santander had 44 home runs and 102 RBI in 2024, 28 home runs and 95 RBI in 2023, and 33 home runs with 89 RBI in 2022, so this is a much different player than everyone was used to seeing in Baltimore.

He has a total of 19 hits so far as of April 29 and he has struck out 30 times, so there is a lot to be desired. On the other hand, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson mentioned at the start of April that Santander is known for slow starts.

“It’s .656. The Blue Jays knew that coming in and Santander isn’t likely to turn into a hot starter at age 30. If he were a young prospect coming up, these slow starts would be worth a conversation, but that conversation has already happened for years in Baltimore. This is who Santander is, and by the time May rolls around and he starts to heat up, you’ll forget April ever happened. Santander’s career OPS in May is .825,” Matheson wrote.

So, maybe he does turn it around with May approaching. If not, this signing looks even worse.