Blue Jays Face Uncertain Future: Just How Long Will Santander and Bieber Be Out?

Before the crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd fill the spring training air, the reigning American League kings—the Toronto Blue Jays—are already navigating stormy seas. Injuries have thrown a wrench into their plans before the season even officially kicks off. Anthony Santander, the team’s right fielder, faces a daunting road ahead with a left labral surgery scheduled for February 11 in Dallas, sidelining him for nearly half a year. Meanwhile, pitcher Shane Bieber is battling forearm fatigue, pushing his readiness for opening day into question. And as if that weren’t enough to test the Blue Jays’ depth, right-hander Bowden Francis is set to undergo UCL reconstruction, effectively knocking him out for the entire campaign. These setbacks are more than just bumps in the road; they challenge the team’s resilience and call on others to rise up and fill the void. General manager Ross Atkins remains cautiously optimistic, banking on the versatility and depth they’ve deliberately crafted to weather these kinds of storms. It’s a true test of their championship mettle. LEARN MORE

The defending American League champions have been rocked by injury before spring training even begins.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Anthony Santander will undergo left labral surgery Feb. 11 in Dallas and miss the next five to six months, manager John Schneider said on a video call on the eve of spring training. Additionally, right-hander Shane Bieber has been slowed by forearm fatigue and will not be ready for the start of the season.

And finally, right-hander Bowden Francis, who started 14 games last season, will undergo UCL reconstruction surgery and miss the entire season, Schneider said.

Santander, 31, was limited to just 54 regular season games in 2025, the first year of a five-year, $92.5 million contract, due to a left shoulder subluxation. He returned in time to play in five playoff games, but a back injury forced his removal from the ALCS roster, ending his season.

His loss will put additional pressure on a bevy of Blue Jays − infielder/outfielder Addison Barger, utilityman Davis Schneider and newcomer Kazuma Okamoto, an infielder, will all bear some of that burden.

“We built this team planned for setbacks. Different guys will have to step up,” general manager Ross Atkins said. “That versatility we have and the depth we have, hopefully, we’ll be able to do that again.”

$765,000,000: Juan Soto, New York Mets (2025-39)

$700,000,000: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-33)

$500,000,000: Vladimir Guerrero, Jr., Toronto Blue Jays (2026-39)

$426.5 million: Mike Trout, Los Angeles Angels (2019-2030)* includes extension

$365 million: Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers (2020-32)

$360 million: Aaron Judge, New York Yankees (2023-2031)

$350 million: Manny Machado, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

$341 million: Francisco Lindor, New York Mets (2022-31)

$340 million: Fernando Tatis Jr., San Diego Padres (2021-34)

$330,000,000: Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies (2019-31)

$325 million: Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins (2015-2027) – traded to New York Yankees in 2017

$325 million: Corey Seager, Texas Rangers (2022-31)

$325,000,000: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles Dodgers (2024-35)

$313.5 million: Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox (2024-33) – traded to San Francisco Giants in 2025

$300 million: Trea Turner, Philadelphia Phillies (2023-33)

$292 million: Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers (2014-2023)* includes extension

$288,777,777: Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals (2024-34)

$280 million: Xander Bogaerts, San Diego Padres (2023-33)

$275 million: Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees (2008-2017)

$260 million: Nolan Arenado, Colorado Rockies (2019-26) – traded to St. Louis Cardinals in 2021, traded to Arizona Diamondbacks in 2026

$252,000,000: Alex Rodriguez, Texas Rangers (2001-10)

$245 million: Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals (2020-26)

$245 million: Anthony Rendon, Los Angeles Angels (2020-26)

$240,000,000: Kyle Tucker, Los Angeles Dodgers (2026-29)

$240 million: Albert Pujols, Los Angeles Angels (2012-2021)

$240 million: Robinson Cano, Seattle Mariners (2014-2023) – traded to New York Mets in 2019

$225 million: Joey Votto, Cincinnati Reds (2012-2021)

$218,000,000: Max Fried, New York Yankees (2025-32)

$217 million: David Price, Boston Red Sox (2016-2022) – traded to Los Angeles Dodgers in 2020

$215 million: Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers (2014-2020)

$215 million: Christian Yelich, Milwaukee Brewers (2020-28)

$214 million: Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers (2012-2020) – traded to Texas Rangers in 2013

$212 million: Austin Riley, Atlanta Braves (2023-32)

$210 million: Corbin Burnes, Arizona Diamondbacks (2025-30)

$210 million: Max Scherzer, Washington Nationals (2015-2021)

$209.3 million: Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners (2023-34)

$206.5 million: Zack Greinke, Arizona Diamondbacks (2016-2021) – traded to Houston Astros in 2019

$202,000,000: CC Sabathia, New York Yankees (2009-17)

$200 million: Carlos Correa, Minnesota Twins (2023-28) – traded to Houston Astros in 2025

Bieber, who returned from Tommy John surgery late last season, had an offseason MRI that revealed only fatigue, Schneider said. Given his ramp-up, slow playing Bieber’s progression made sense this spring, though it will leave a void initially.

“We’re going to make sure he’s in a very, very strong position to help us win as many games as possible,” Atkins said.

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline before he’d made his season debut. He made his season debut Aug. 22, started seven regular season games and four more in the postseason before giving up Will Smith’s go-ahead home run in the 11th inning of the Blue Jays’ Game 7 World Series loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He picked up his player option for 2025, fueling speculation that his health was still shy of optimal.

Fortunately for the Blue Jays, they invested heavily in pitching this offseason, signing Dylan Cease to a seven-year, $210 million contract and Cody Ponce − returning from Japan − to a three-year, $30 million deal. They’ll join Kevin Gausman and Trey Yesavage atop the opening-day rotation, though Yesavage may face innings limits this season after unexpectedly pitching into November as a rookie.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Anthony Santander, Shane Bieber injury news, Blue Jays status