Sports

Reports: Blue Jays finally land a marquee free agent

Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr

After apparently finishing as the runner-up for several marquee free agents this offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays have finally landed one.

Outfielder Anthony Santander, who hit 44 home runs in an All-Star 2024 season as a member of the Baltimore Orioles, has agreed to terms on a five-year contract, according to multiple media reports.

Santander, 30, had the best power-hitting season of his career at the perfect time as he tested the free agent waters this offseason. Although his batting average dipped to .235 and his on-base percentage was only .308, the home run surge fueled a .506 slugging percentage with a career-high 102 RBI.

Santander was acquired by the Orioles as a Rule 5 draftee in 2016 and he has played his entire eight seasons in the majors with Baltimore.

He became a regular in 2022 and has emerged as one of the game’s more consistent power hitters over the past three seasons.

All things Blue Jays: Latest Toronto Blue Jays news, schedule, roster, stats, injury updates and more.

In addition to helping lead the O’s to back-to-back playoff berths, he earned his first All-Star nod this past season and won an AL Silver Slugger award in the outfield.

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast.Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

This post appeared first on USA TODAY