The Toronto Blue Jays are dealing with significant injury concerns as the team opens spring training preparations, with several key players sidelined ahead of the new MLB season.
According to Sports Net, the club has confirmed that dedicated hitter Anthony Santander is undergoing left labral surgery and is expected to miss five to six months.
Starting pitcher Bowden Francis will also undergo ulnar collateral ligament surgery, ruling him out for the entire 2026 season.
Meanwhile, right-handed pitcher Shane Bieber is experiencing forearm fatigue and is postponing his throwing program.
The 31-year-old Santander is entering the second year of a five-year, $92.5 million contract. He played in only 54 games last season due to shoulder problems and posted a .175 batting average with six home runs and 18 RBIs.
Francis struggled with injuries in 2025, making just 14 starts and finishing with a 6.05 ERA over 64 innings pitched.
Bieber, acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, remains one of the bright spots on the roster after posting a 3.57 ERA in seven starts with Toronto and contributing during the playoffs.
Despite the injuries, the Toronto Blue Jays continue to prepare for spring training on February 21 in Dunedin against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The team’s regular season begins March 27 at Rogers Center against the Athletics as management looks to address initial challenges to the pitching and hitting lineup.
