{"id":111315,"date":"2025-12-29T22:29:25","date_gmt":"2025-12-30T03:29:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/?p=111315"},"modified":"2025-12-29T22:29:25","modified_gmt":"2025-12-30T03:29:25","slug":"three-blue-jays-looking-for-bounce-back-season-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/baseball\/2025\/12\/29\/three-blue-jays-looking-for-bounce-back-season-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Three Blue Jays Players Looking for More Success in 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"

The 2025 Toronto Blue Jays season was a great success, bouncing back from a 74-88 season in 2024 to finish 94-68, good enough for the best record in the American League and third-best in all of Major League Baseball, and nearly winning the World Series.<\/span><\/p>\n

The Blue Jays received many contributions from players all throughout the roster, whether it was George Springer<\/a>\u2019s bounce-back year, Eric Lauer<\/a> stepping in to provide many quality innings, or Addison Barger<\/a> taking a big step in his first full MLB season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But for all that went right with the Blue Jays in 2025, some players didn\u2019t perform as well as hoped or expected by many people\u2019s standards. Here is a look at three Blue Jays who could bounce back to help this team continue its success in 2026.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Three Blue Jays Hoping to Bounce Back in 2026<\/h2>\n

Anthony Santander\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

The first year of Anthony Santander<\/a>\u2019s five-year, $92.5 million contract he signed<\/a> with the Blue Jays in January was by all accounts a failure. The 31-year-old appeared in only 54 games with the Blue Jays, slashing .175, with only six home runs and 18 runs batted in, totaling 194 at-bats. Santander went on the injured list on May 30, with left shoulder inflammation and didn’t rejoin the roster until Sept. 23, with six games remaining in the regular season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Anthony
May 20, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Anthony Santander (25) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Santander was announced on the Blue Jays\u2019 playoff roster for both the AL Division Series and AL Championship Series, appearing in five games, batting .200 and driving in only two runs. Santander was pulled in Game 3 of the ALCS with a back injury, then was a late scratch from the lineup in Game 4, forcing the Blue Jays to replace Santander<\/a> with Joey Loperfido<\/a> on the ALCS roster, ending Santander\u2019s season.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This was a far cry from the player who over the previous three seasons averaged 153 games played, 35 home runs and 95 RBI. Santander was especially impressive in his final season in Baltimore, batting .235 with 44 home runs and 102 RBI en route to the outfielder\u2019s first All-Star appearance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

If Santander can rebound and get back to the 25-to-35 home run range, the Blue Jays fans and management will start to feel better about the contract that was handed out to the Venezuelan native.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bowden Francis\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Bowden Francis<\/a> was the Blue Jays\u2019 number five starter when the team broke spring training to head to Toronto to open the 2025 season. Francis\u2019 2025 started strong over his first five starts, pitching to a 2-3 record, 3.58 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and didn\u2019t allow more than three runs in any of these starts.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The wheels started to fall off after that as he struggled with the long ball and control, and his season came to an end in June after going on the injured list with right shoulder impingement. Francis finished 2025 with a 2-8 record, 6.05 ERA and 1.531 WHIP, a falloff from what 2024 was.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In 2024, Francis became almost unhittable to close out the year, pitching to a 1.05 ERA in August and 2.16 ERA in September to have his season numbers finish at 8-5, 3.30 ERA and 0.926 WHIP. Many fans remember two starts late in 2024, where Francis took no-hitters into the ninth, first against the Los Angeles Angels, then again when he squared off with the New York Mets, but was unable to achieve the feat in either start.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Bowden Francis, K’ing the Side in the 1st. pic.twitter.com\/sQyJsuIXUH<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) August 18, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n