| Anthony Santander | |
|---|---|
 Santander with the Orioles in 2023 | |
| Toronto Blue Jays – No. 25 | |
| Outfielder | |
| Born: (1994-10-19)October 19, 1994 (age 31) Margarita Island,Venezuela | |
Bats: Switch Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| August 18, 2017, for the Baltimore Orioles | |
| MLB statistics (through 2025 season) | |
| Batting average | .241 |
| Home runs | 161 |
| Runs batted in | 453 |
Stats atBaseball Reference  | |
| Teams | |
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| Career highlights and awards | |
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Anthony Roger Santander (born October 19, 1994) is a Venezuelan professionalbaseballoutfielder for theToronto Blue Jays ofMajor League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for theBaltimore Orioles. He made his MLB debut in 2017 and was anAll-Star in2024.
Santander was born onMargarita Island, off the Venezuelan coast, but grew up in and feels more connected to the mainland municipalityAgua Blanca, where he returns every winter.[1]
Santander signed with theCleveland Indians as an internationalfree agent on July 2, 2011.[2] He made his professional debut in 2012 for theArizona League Indians. From 2013 to 2015 he played for theLake County Captains. He injured his right elbow in 2013, and missed part of the 2014 season—when he batted .184/.260/.270 for the Captains—with a right elbow strain.[3] He also played in eight games for theMahoning Valley Scrappers in 2015. Santander spent 2016 with theLynchburg Hillcats[4][5] where he posted a .290batting average with 20 home runs and 95 RBIs.[6]
TheBaltimore Orioles selected Santander from the Indians in the 2016Rule 5 draft.[7] He made his major league debut on August 18, 2017, atCamden Yards, Baltimore against theLos Angeles Angels.[8] In 30 at bats he batted .267/.258/.367.[9]
Santander matched teammateRenato Núñez's achievement from eleven days prior with his own first-ever five-hit game in an 8–3 home win over theTampa Bay Rays three weeks later on August 25, 2019.[10] In 93 games, he hit 20 home runs with 59 runs batted in.
In 37 games for the Orioles in 2020, Santander batted .261/.315/.575 with 11home runs and 32 RBI. He was awarded the 2020 Louis M. Hatter Most Valuable Oriole Award by members of the local media.[11] On February 5, 2021, Santander lost his arbitration hearing against the Orioles and had his 2021 salary set at $2.1 million instead of $2.4 million.[12]
In mid-June 2022, Santander was placed on the restricted list ahead of a series in Toronto against the Blue Jays due to beingunvaccinated against COVID-19. He tied an MLB record set byKen Caminiti in 1996 by hitting home runs from both sides of the plate in a game for the fourth time in a single season in a 13–9 loss to theBoston Red Sox atFenway Park on September 27, 2022. He also became the firstOrioles player with three multi-homer games in a four-game span.[13] In 2022 he led major league batters in pop up percentage (15.8%), and batted .240/.318/.455 in 574 at bats.[14]
On January 13, 2023, Santander agreed to a one-year, $7.4 million contract with theOrioles, avoiding salary arbitration.[15] He achieved his first MLBgrand slam and five-RBI game in a 9–4away win over theAtlanta Braves on May 5. His seventh-inning slam offJoe Jiménez while batting left-handed was his second home run of the match, both from opposite sides of the plate. He hit a right-handed solo homer offMax Fried in the fourth.[16] On May 15, Santander started his first career game at first base, batting third against theLos Angeles Angels.[17] His two-run homer offSteven Okert in the first inning of a 5–4 home win over theMiami Marlins on July 16 was the 100th of his MLB career.[18] In 2023, he batted .257/.325/.472, and had the highest fly ball percentage (49.7%) and the lowest line drive percentage of all AL batters (15.3%).[19]
Santander was selected to theAll-Star Game for the first time in2024.[20] He equaled his career-high five RBI in a pair ofOrioles away victories that season over theCincinnati Reds andTexas Rangers on May 5 and July 19 respectively.[21] The first of those two featured his third career grand slam in the ninth offEmilio Pagán.[22] He hit a pair of homers to establish a new career-high in a season with 34 in a 7–3away triumph over theBlue Jays on August 7.[23] He surpassedKen Singleton's 1979 franchise record for most homers by a switch-hitter in a season with his 36th offJake Irvin in a 9–3 home loss to theWashington Nationals six days later on August 13.[24] In 2024, Santander batted .235/.308/.506 with 44 home runs and 102 RBIs, and led MLB with the highest fly ball percentage, at 54.8%.[25]
On January 20, 2025, Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with theToronto Blue Jays.[26] He slashed .179/.273/.304 with six home runs and 18 RBI over 50 games before he was placed on the injured list with left shoulder inflammation on May 30.[27] Santander was transferred to the 60-day injured list on July 4.[28] He was activated on September 23,[29] and recorded one hit and one walk across four additional games.[citation needed] Santander made the Blue Jays'MLB postseason roster, but was replaced withJoey Loperfido during the2025 American League Championship Series due to back tightness.[30]
Santander was selected to theVenezuela national team at the2023 World Baseball Classic.[31]