The Toronto Blue Jays finally made a much-needed addition to their lineup when they went out and signed Anthony Santander earlier this month, and it might not take long for the slugger to make good on his $92.5 million contract.
According to THE BAT model, New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is projected to lead MLB with 51 home runs in 2025. Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber, Brent Rooker and Yordan Álvarez are slated to finish second through fifth in the annual home runs race.
Santander, meanwhile, is projected to rank sixth with 35 homers.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the next Blue Jay on the list, with projections slotting him into a tie for 17th at 30 home runs. Pete Alonso – one of Toronto’s top remaining free agent targets – is one spot behind Santander, projected to finish seventh with 34 bombs.
THE BAT was created by ESPN and RotoGrinders fantasy expert Derek Carty in 2014, accounting for “all relevant factors” on a day-to-day basis.
Among the 30 projected home run leaders, Santander is expected to rank No. 20 in weighted runs created plus at 125. Guerrero, on the other hand, ranks No. 5 in the wRC+ projections, while Alonso ranks No. 17.
A lineup that features three top-20 hitters would surely give the Blue Jays a solid shot at returning to the playoffs in 2025, which could prove critical to convincing Guerrero to stick around long-term.
Santander hit .235 with 44 home runs, 102 RBI, an .814 OPS, a 129 wRC+ and a 2.9 WAR as a member of the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. Over the last six seasons, Santander ranks No. 7 in the American League with 154 total home runs.