Former all-star's latest injury update proves the Orioles made the right call moving on when they did

It’s a cruel fact of life that injuries will always be a part of baseball. While disappointing for fans, it can be especially frustrating for players trying their hardest to help their ball club win games. Former Orioles All-Star Anthony Santander unfortunately knows this all too well. The switch-hitting slugger has had nothing but tough luck since signing with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2025. After missing more than 100 games last year, it now appears that Santander will likely be sidelined for the entire 2026 season. It also appears that Baltimore probably made the right call moving on from him.  

According to Keegan Matheson, Blue Jays reporter for MLB.com, Santander experienced yet another set back while rehabbing his injured shoulder. The outfielder has yet to begin swinging a bat following shoulder surgery in February. After feeling more discomfort in his left shoulder, Santander recently received a cortisone injection. It remains to be seen how effective that injection will be and if it will be enough to allow him to resume baseball activities. But as we near August, it doesn’t look like we’ll see Santander on the field any time soon. 

The Orioles are fortunate to have avoided a long term relationship with Anthony Santander

Although it was unpopular at the time, the Orioles now look better off not re-signing Santander to an expensive long-term contract. While he certainly came into his own in 2022, Santander really became a force to be reckoned with in 2024, when he belted a career-high 44 home runs and drove in 102 runs. Santander’s massive year led to his price tag shooting up above the Orioles' budget, leaving them with the tough choice of letting him walk. After all was said and done, Santander inked a five-year, $92.5 million contract with AL East rival Toronto.  

With Colton Cowser, Heston Kjerstad, and more waiting in the wings, Baltimore clearly felt that they had enough young talent in the outfield to make up for Santander's departure. While things haven't exactly gone according to plan, the team will be just fine in the long run without Santander's contact hanging over their head. But it's hard not to play “What if?” considering the freak nature of Santander's injury. 

The 31-year-old first dealt with issues with his left shoulder after running into a wall in Anaheim in May 2025. The injury ultimately forced him to miss an extended amount of time as the Blue Jays made their World Series run. With rest and rehab following the season, Toronto had hoped that their prized free agent signing would be ready for the 2026 season. But after experiencing discomfort ahead of Spring Training, Santander underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum on February 11. With a normal five to six-month recovery, the Blue Jays had expected to see Santander return to the lineup at some point this summer. 

“Hopefully, this year goes the same way, and we have a good start and win a lot of games. That will give me more time for my shoulder to take it slower, strengthen my shoulder, and go through the entire process better without feeling the need to rush,” Santander told MLB.com back in February. “Hopefully, we’ll see where we’re at when we get there. If it doesn’t work, obviously the other option is to wait until next year, but I hope it doesn’t go that way.” 

Unfortunately for Santander and the Blue Jays, it now appears that it will have to go that other way. Just two years into his contract, Santander could already be considered a major bust for Toronto. When they brought him on board, they envisioned a power bat to shore up the middle of their lineup and provide protection for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Alejandro Kirk. Instead, they've gotten just 54 games in two seasons from Santander. Even when he did manage to play, Santander was simply not the same player as he was with the Orioles. In 2025, he hit just .175 and posted a .565 OPS, each well below his career averages. 

It's a tough situation for all parties involved. The Orioles also took a step back last year without Santander's 2024 production in the lineup. Things have gone slightly better this season so far, but you still can't help but wonder what could have been if the O’s brought him back and he offered up another 30+ home run season. However, after drafting plenty of high-ceiling outfield talent in recent years, Baltimore could soon return as serious AL East contenders without Santander. And with the money they saved by not re-signing him, securing high-end pitchers is once again their main concern.

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