"On Tuesday, the Toronto Blue Jays were dealt a huge blow when they learned that star slugger Anthony Santander will be on the mend once again as he will undergo shoulder surgery which will put him out of action for five to six months. The injury update came at the same time as the announcements that pitcher Bowden Francis will miss the entire 2026 season due to UCL reconstructive surgery and that Shane Bieber will not be ready for Opening Day due to forearm fatigue, giving the Blue Jays a triple whammy before spring training even started."
"But more importantly, the Santander injury actually had a trickle down effect on the rest of the Blue Jays roster in terms of how certain players will be deployed for the upcoming season. After all, the 31-year-old was expected to play a lot in a potential bounce back healthy campaign with Toronto this year. Instead, it appears as though the Blue Jays 2026 lineup is inadvertently coming into focus as a fallout of Santander's unfortunate news."
Anthony Santander will undergo left labral surgery and is expected to miss five to six months after a January setback while ramping up hitting. Pitcher Bowden Francis will miss the entire 2026 season following UCL reconstructive surgery, and Shane Bieber will not be ready for Opening Day because of forearm fatigue. Manager John Schneider plans to deploy Addison Barger in right field while Davis Schneider and Nathan Lukes will share a platoon in left field. Barger’s versatility previously offered lineup flexibility, and Schneider and Lukes move from bench depth into vital starting roles until Santander’s possible return.
Read at Jays Journal
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