Blue Jays injury update: Anthony Santander hasn’t started hitting yet

It seems like outfielder Daulton Varsho will head to the minor leagues for a rehab appearance next week. Fellow outfielder Anthony Santander appears to be a ways away from getting into games, as he hasn’t even started hitting yet.

As for pitchers, Yimi Garcia appears to be set for a rehab appearance in the Florida Complex League. He’ll join fellow relievers Nick Sandlin and Ryan Burr on rehab stints. As for Bowden Francis, he won’t pitch for another few days after being placed on the Injured List on Tuesday.

The dynamic of the Blue Jays with a healthy Anthony Santander cannot be understated. Last season, his 44 home runs were the third-most in the league, but he hasn’t had that type of production in his first season with the Jays. In 209 plate appearances, he’s slashing .179/.273/.304 with six home runs for a 65.

One encouraging sign regarding Santander is that he started to get going before his injury issues. Before those troubles began around May 9th, Santander had been slashing .227/.320/.455 with three home runs in 50 plate appearances from April 27 until May 8. If they get that sort of production from Santander when he returns, they won’t need to upgrade their offence before the trade deadline.

Getting Varsho back will be a big help for the Blue Jays, given he hit eight home runs in just 100 plate appearances, giving him a 107 wRC+. On top of that, Varsho is one of the best outfield defenders in the league. He’ll be a big help to their depth as well, as Jonatan Clase and Myles Straw were pulled from Friday’s game due to minor injuries, with Clase returning to the lineup on Sunday (and hitting a home run).

Toronto has really missed Yimi Garcia since he went on the Injured List. In 20 innings pitched, Garcia had a 3.15 ERA and 2.96 FIP, with a 28.9 K% and a 12 BB%. The righty was used as their de facto closer when Hoffman was unavailable, picking up three saves in six opportunities.

It’s been a tough season for Bowden Francis, as he has a 6.05 ERA and a 6.78 FIP in 64 innings pitched. However, he proved to be a second-half performer last season, so let’s hope his performance improves once he returns to the lineup.