Toronto Blue Jays new game plan for Anthony Santander announced
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Photo credit: MASN Sports
Anthony Santander has made 17 starts as a designated hitter and 10 in the outfield in his first month with the Toronto Blue Jays, a distribution more DH-heavy than manager John Schneider originally expected.
The Blue Jays need to manage Santander's workload.
Shi Davidi from Sportsnet writes that with Daulton Varsho set to return from the injured list Tuesday, manager John Schneider plans to shift more of Anthony Santander's workload back to the outfield, a move both the team and Santander believe could positively impact his performance at the plate.
Here's what Santander had to say ahead of their game against Boston on Tuesday.
«As an athlete, you always want to be involved in the game and have action, not being stuck on the bench. The last few years, I was able to play 100-plus games in the outfield and I'm not ready to be a full-time DH. I'm still young. It's something I've been talking about with the skipper, we have good communication about it. It's going to be beneficial for the team and for me.» -Santander
Davidi also writes that last season, Anthony Santander logged 129 starts in the outfield compared to just 25 as designated hitter. The trend has been consistent in recent years - a 97/47 split in 2023, 116/34 in 2022, and 82/21 in 2021.
On Sunday, he launched his third home run of the season during the second game of the Blue Jays' doubleheader against the Yankees while starting in right field, following an 0-for-4 performance with a walk as the DH in the opener.
"Traditionally a slow starter, he's batting .179/.261/.302 out of the gate, a slash line that drops to .164/.240/.284 as the DH" -Davidi
But like many of his teammates, he's still trying to shake off a 'slump'. Santander believes that the key to turning things around is for the team to do a better job finding ways to score runs, not just sitting back and waiting for the big home run.
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