CINCINNATI — Back in early May, when Anthony Santander first injured his left shoulder diving into the stands at Angel Stadium, he told himself and the Blue Jays that he was good to keep playing.
But with the benefit of hindsight, he now believes staying on the field in the weeks that followed likely made his shoulder worse.
By the end of May, the shoulder was “really, really bad, with a lot of inflammation,” so Santander went on the injured list in the hopes that he’d return in three or four more weeks. To his dismay, the injury required far more time to heal, with a period of four-to-six weeks of very light workouts followed by a gradual summer buildup planned in conjunction with the team’s training staff.
Now on the brink of a rehab assignment, Santander says his left-handed swing feels “really good,” though his right-handed swing isn’t quite at 100 per cent yet. He has also been running the bases on the field and throwing regularly in preparation for a triple-A stint that could begin as soon as Tuesday and would last at least five games.
“I’m happy to get back on the field after (three-plus) months,” Santander said Wednesday, addressing the injury publicly for the first time. “Coming back from the injury was a little tough (since) I had a lot of inflammation in the shoulder, but I’m really excited about coming back.”
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While Santander’s right-handed swing is still lagging behind, the Blue Jays expect further progress in the week ahead. Manager John Schneider said there’s every intention of making sure Santander’s ready from both sides before he returns.
“It’s so tough with a switch-hitter,” Schneider said. “You’ve got to maintain two swings, so it’s a different range of motion (and) different stresses are put on the injury. So that (right-handed swing) has been a little bit behind the left-handed swing just from a comfort standpoint. And we really don’t want to have him as a one-dimensional option.”
If Santander’s progress continues, he and George Springer would share DH duties while also playing some outfield. While the rehab process has been slower than Santander initially hoped, he’s been encouraged by how well his teammates are playing without him.
“We’re winning, and I’m happy for the work they’ve been doing,” he said. “That’s making me keep working hard through this process so when the time comes to join the team, I can try to do my job to help the team. They’ve been doing a great job the whole year.”
Asked whether the shoulder will require any more treatment during the off-season, Santander acknowledged there’s still some uncertainty about how the next couple months will unfold — he just hopes he’s making those plans after a deep playoff run.
“We’ll see after the season,” Santander said. “Hopefully after the World Series we’ll see what’s the next step in the off-season. The main thing was to try to avoid surgery, which is not good.”
Developing Yesavage
While Trey Yesavage isn’t on the Blue Jays’ 40-man roster yet, he’s still technically an option for a 2025 playoff roster as long as certain attainable conditions are met. First, and most important, the right-hander would have to continue performing at triple-A. Second, an injury would have to open up a 40-man spot for Yesavage. And third, the commissioner’s office would have to sanction the move — a formality rather than a real hurdle.
All of which to say, it’s an option if the Blue Jays believe Yesavage can help them, which makes his move to the bullpen in Tuesday’s game all the more interesting. Pitching at triple-A, struck out six over three scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and one walk. If performances like that continue, it’s not a stretch to imagine Yesavage making his big-league debut within the coming weeks.
“It’s an opportunity to see what it feels like coming out of the pen,” Schneider said Tuesday afternoon. “There’s guys that we think can help us win games at the major-league level, and I think he’s put himself in that conversation, so you want to try to replicate whatever role that may be.”
A connection years in the making
Isiah Kiner-Falefa wasn’t the only former Blue Jay to return to Toronto via the Pirates this week, as Ryan Borucki also joined the team at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. Soon after he arrived, Borucki checked in with Schneider, who managed him at multiple stops on his way through the Toronto farm system. Now, the left-hander’s playing for Schneider at the MLB level for the first time.
“We kind of came up together,” Borucki said. “I think he was my manager four or five different times. He never managed me in the big leagues, because I was gone by then. It’s very cool. I’ve seen him grow. He’s seen me grow. He’s seen me as an 18-year-old kid. And now he’s seen me as a 31-year-old. He’s probably the longest relationship I have in this game, honestly.”
