Although solid pitching has kept the Toronto Blue Jays floating around the .500 mark, the major development in the first month of the 2025 season has been their surprising lack of power hitting.
The Blue Jays sit at the 29th position in Major League Baseball when it comes to home runs, having hit only 15 so far. They’ve also managed to score more runs than only three teams. The spotlight might be on the highly paid Vladamir Guerrero Jr., nicknamed “the $500 million man,” along with previous All-Star Bo Bichette; together, these players have mustered up merely two home runs over their initial 28 matches this season. However, they aren’t primarily responsible for the team’s struggles. Despite his limited power hitting, Guerrero has maintained an impressive OBP of .372 and boasts a solid 121 OPS+. On the other hand, Bichette leads the squad with a respectable .292 batting average.
The primary concern for the Blue Jays lies with the batter following them in the lineup. After smashing 44 home runs last season with the Baltimore Orioles, Anthony Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with the Blue Jays to bolster their batting order. However, his powerful swing hasn’t made it up north yet; he’s only managing a .179 average along with three homers. His expected slugging percentage and barrel rate have also been underwhelming.
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From last season, Santander hasn’t been able to match his form from the 2024 campaign, which is why Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller notes.
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considered him one of baseball’s greatest letdowns up until now.
“Except for the significant three-run home run he hit against Spencer Schwellenbach two weeks ago, Santander has not contributed at all,” Miller noted.
Miller pointed out optimistically that Santander typically begins slowly, with his career April OPS of .640 being the lowest for any month. Considering the adaptation required after spending eight years with Baltimore and joining a new team, it’s understandable why Santander has found himself struggling recently. However, his home run against the New York Yankees over the weekend could be an encouraging indicator of improved performance ahead.
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The Blue Jays are expected to send down their struggling No. 5 prospect when Daulton Varsho comes back.