Blue Jays Moves: Santander Returns, Manoah Designated
The Toronto Blue Jays made significant moves to their roster on Tuesday, activating designated hitter Anthony Santander from the 60-day injured list and designating pitcher Alek Manoah for assignment.
Additionally, first baseman Ty France was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to Monday, due to a left oblique strain. These changes came before the team’s 4-1 loss to the Boston Red Sox at the Rogers Centre.
Santander, who signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto in the offseason, returns to the team after a left shoulder injury that kept him out since May 29. In 50 games, the designated hitter hit .179 with six home runs.
Santander’s return comes in the final week of the regular season, as the Blue Jays, looking to secure the American League East Division title, prepare for the playoffs. The team had the best record in the American League, at 90-66, before Tuesday’s games.
Manoah, for his part, had been pitching in Triple-A Buffalo while recovering from elbow surgery in 2024. In seven starts for the Bisons, Manoah went 1-1 with a 2.97 ERA, allowing six home runs from the 27 hits he conceded.
After a standout rookie season in 2021, Manoah had a great performance in 2022, with a 16-7 record and a 2.24 ERA, finishing third in the American League Cy Young Award voting.
Manoah, who was Toronto’s Opening Day starter in 2023, was demoted to the Florida Rookie League in June after going 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA. After returning to the major league roster in July, he went 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in seven starts and did not pitch again at any level after being sent to Triple-A in August.
Last year, Manoah went 1-2 with a 3.70 ERA in five starts, pitching 24 and a third innings before undergoing a season-ending surgery.
