Santander on bubble as Blue Jays' playoff roster in flux

Yes, Anthony Santander and his $92MM contract could be on the bench for the Blue Jays first playoff series

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%.

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'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.