Blue Jays' Anthony Santander will miss months due to surgery

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander will miss much of the 2026 Major League Baseball season as a result of surgery, team officials said Tuesday.

Jays manager John Schneider told reporters that Santander will undergo left labral surgery on Wednesday and then "be out for approximately five to six months."

Schneider said the hope is for Santander to be back "as soon as he can," to help the team down the stretch, in the second half of the season.

The switch-hitting Santander signed a five-year, $92.5-million US deal to play with the Blue Jays, ahead of the 2025 season.

Injuries kept the 31-year-old off the field for much of 2025, though he did appear in 54 regular season games and five post-season games for Toronto.

Toronto has a surplus of capable outfielders at the moment, some of whom are likely to see increased playing time while Santander is out.

"I think it kind of opens the door for a lot of guys," Schneider said when asked about the impact that Santander's injury would have on the makeup of the outfield.

Schneider also broke the news Tuesday that pitcher Bowden Francis will undergo UCL reconstruction surgery on Wednesday, and will miss the entire 2026 season as a result.

The 29-year-old Francis started 14 games for the Blue Jays in 2025, and 13 the year before. He's also pitched out of the bullpen.

The Jays' skipper also had an update on starting pitcher Shane Bieber, who will see a delayed start to ramping up for the season, after experiencing "right forearm fatigue."

"He won't be ready to start the season, but we feel like he's going to be a significant contributor to us this year," said Schneider, who said the team was being "extra cautious" with Bieber, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2024.

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