Santander on bubble as Blue Jays' playoff roster in flux
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The Toronto Blue Jays biggest offseason signing could be left off the field come the postseason.
While it may seem strange, there are a few factors at play.
First off, Santander, who has missed the majority of the season with a shoulder injury, is a notorious slow starter. With the playoffs a different animal from the regular season, and with
George Springer eating up the majority of DH at bats, the Blue Jays may decide that Santander isn't at 100%.
Anthony Santander was so close to hitting a grand slam
The second and third factors are related to
Bo Bichette.
If the Jays can hang on and win the AL East, they're first playoff game will be on October 4th. There is hope that the shortstop and offensive catalyst will be ready to go by that point. However, if his throwing arm isn't 100% then he might need to DH, forcing Springer to play the field and further muddying the waters for Santander.
If they end up with the wildcard, Bo might not be ready, but that doesn't necessarily guarantee that Santander will make the cut.
Santander hitting under .200, has low defensive metrics
Santander's numbers weren't great before his injury, with the slugger batting just .176 with six home runs and 18 home runs. The Jays will need some extra pop if they want to advance in the playoffs and Santander simply might not have enough time to get up to speed.
Of course, many things can happen between now and the Jays' first playoff game. It just remains to be seen whether or not Anthony Santander will be a part of it.
Previously on Blue Jays Central
| POLL |
SEPTEMBRE 27 | 1058 ANSWERS Santander on bubble as Blue Jays' playoff roster in flux Should Anthony Santander be on the playoff roster? |
| Yes | 358 | 33.8 % |
| No | 700 | 66.2 % |
| List of polls |