Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Anthony Santander (25) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Report: Blue Jays’ Anthony Santander nearing rehab assignment

Originally posted on Bluejaysnation
By Tyson Shushkewich | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 6:30 PM ET

The Toronto Blue Jays may be getting back one of their prized offseason acquisitions sooner rather than later.

Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling reported earlier today that Anthony Santander is nearing a rehab assignment that could see him suiting up in Buffalo as early as next Tuesday. Santander is currently with the club in Cincinnati and will be travelling with the club to New York City this upcoming weekend.

Santander hasn’t seen game action since May 29th, when he landed on the IL with a shoulder issue that the club initially deemed ‘left shoulder inflammation’. The diagnosis was later changed to shoulder subluxation, and Santander has been battling to get back to the diamond. He started hitting off a tee in early August and continued ramping up on-field activities last weekend, including on-field hitting, running, and fielding.

Per Zwelling, he is continuing to build up his activity and is getting some more reps from the right side of the plate.

Anthony Santander is nearing a rehab assignment that could begin Tuesday with triple-A Buffalo

Santander will travel with Blue Jays to New York this weekend to continue his build up and get more reps hitting right-handed

Santander will get at least five games on rehab

— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) September 3, 2025

It’s been a disappointing campaign for the switch-hitter in his first season with the Blue Jays.

Before landing on the IL, Santander amassed a .179/.273/.304 slash line with a .577 OPS through 184 at-bats. He collected five doubles, six home runs, and 18 RBIs through his first two months and was struggling with the strikeouts, authoring a 26.3% rate. Santander didn’t log his first home run until his 15th game of the campaign.

The decline in power and batting stats can likely be attributed to his shoulder issue, although he was hovering around the .170-.200 average mark from April 21st onward before he collided with the outfield wall during the early May series in Los Angeles.

With his rehab assignment, Santander is expected to get at least five games with Buffalo before a potential return. When he is healthy, the Jays will have a tough roster decision to make, whether it is Davis Schneider or Nathan Lukes being optioned or the club DFA’s Ty France, Isiah Kiner-Falefa, or Myles Straw to make room on the active roster to finish out September.

This article first appeared on Bluejaysnation and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: