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Anthony Santander: if all goes well, the club is aiming for a mid-September return

The Blue Jays signed Anthony Santander for big money to bring power to town. Let’s just say, in 2025, he’s a failure.

Early in the season, he was injured. The Blue Jays, instead of putting him on the injured list, tried instead to make him a contact hitter to protect his swing.

This was never a good idea.

Santander was eventually placed on the injured list and didn’t swing for two months. Now, he’s just starting to take swings again in preparation for a return to action.

But will he be able to do it in 2025?

If he can really make a difference with his power, the Blue Jays will gladly make room for him. And even if time is on his side, the chances of him returning to the Majors in 2025 are looking better and better.

If he doesn’t suffer a setback, Santander could be playing games in the minors over the next weekend. And from there, perhaps a return around mid-September may be possible.

John Schneider would like to see him back between September 15 and 21, if all goes well.

If Santander comes back and produces, that’s fine. But Santander isn’t guaranteed to have an impact in 2025. He didn’t have one after camp, and there’s no guarantee he’ll have a real opportunity if the stars don’t align.

If he wants to unseat George Springer at DH (and thus, indirectly, force an outfielder to give up his spot at #4), Santander better produce. And the Blue Jays would like nothing better…

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MLB in brief: Jazz Chisholm Jr. promises World Series | Isiah Kiner-Falefa in waivers

Jazz Chisholm Jr. promises the World Series

Nothing less.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa on the waivers

Pirates want to save money? Surely.

https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1961471040464326759

Who will win the MVP?

Cal Raleigh and Kyle Schwarber push behind the stars’ backs.

Shohei Ohtani file

Ippei’s bookie gets a year and a day in jail.

https://twitter.com/BNightengale/status/1961477056228737473

Reduced suspension

Victor Robles is now suspended seven games instead of 10 for throwing his stick at an opponent.

https://twitter.com/JomboyMedia/status/1961476308807860322

Alex Cora is right

“For years, we were bad. But Fenway Park was never bad.”

https://twitter.com/Section10Pod/status/1961462293880840693

Xander Bogaerts injured

He has a fractured foot.

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Walker Buehler released by the Red Sox

The Red Sox are in the playoff hunt in the American League. And to win, the club is obviously willing to do whatever it takes to get there.

We know that Payton Tolle, the club’s big prospect on the mound, will pitch – against Paul Skenes – tonight. The managers have decided that he’s the one who’s going to give his team the best chance of winning.

But they had to make room for him.

And on the heels of a series of moves, the Low Reds decided that Walker Buehler, despite his hefty $21.05M salary for 2025, wasn’t going to finish the year in Boston. He has been released by the club.

https://twitter.com/jcmccaffrey/status/1961498019313975575

Calling back your best prospect and cutting a veteran who must earn over $3 million (he’ll get his money, by the way) and who won the World Series shows how serious the Sox are.

And we like that: the club is looking to win at all costs.

Buehler had been sent to the bullpen recently because of his poor performance. But the Red Sox just cut ties with him at the end of August.

Note that if he signs with a new team (at minimum salary) by the end of the month, he will be eligible for the playoffs with his new team. Who would be surprised to see the Dodgers sign him, given his track record of success there?

  • Boston lineup of the day.

  • Nice read on the Savannah Bananas.

https://twitter.com/EvanDrellich/status/1961058539268694494

  • Josh Donaldson remembers the series in Toronto.

https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1960800977398685904

  • Wilyer Abreu: his comeback will have to wait.

  • Season over for Yimi Garcia.

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Juan Soto: David Stearns “didn’t expect this season”

Last winter, Juan Soto was the big name on the free-agent market. The outfielder, who had just helped the Yankees reach the World Series, was (really) in demand… and there was a battle between the two New York teams for his services.

And in the end, it was the Mets who won that battle. Soto signed a 15-year contract for the princely sum of $765 million, by far the most expensive contract in MLB history.

Inevitably, then, expectations for Soto were enormous this season… and at first glance, his numbers may disappoint. His .248/.387/.486 batting line isn’t bad, but it’s not up to his standards.

But despite this, during his appearance on The Show, David Stearns said that in his eyes, Soto is really having an incredible season… but one he didn’t expect.

Because seeing Soto flirt with a 40/30 season (he has 32 long balls and 22 stolen bases this year) is a surprise to him.

https://twitter.com/nypostsports/status/1961251008304353605

The home runs aren’t necessarily a huge surprise. He slammed 41 last year, after all… but we’re talking about his personal best in a season. Barring a huge surprise, he’ll hit at least 36, giving him his second-best career season.

On the other hand, in terms of larceny, it’s true that it’s surprising. Soto had never stolen more than 12 goals in a single season… and with a month to go, he already has 22 this season. So he started stealing goals after signing his big contract, an interesting link to make when you consider Oliver Marmol’s recent comments.

And he’s only been caught twice: he steals a lot, and he does it efficiently.

All this impresses Stearns, who sees in Soto a player who is always ready to add a new string to his bow for the good of his team. And in fact, at this level, it’s true that the outfielder’s achievements this season deserve to be highlighted.

But at the end of the day, Soto got all that money for his bat. And in an ideal world, seeing him bat again at the height of his immense talent is something we’ll have to revisit eventually.

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Eloy Jimenez joins the Blue Jays organization

The Blue Jays add depth.

The Toronto club has signed Eloy Jimenez, once one of Major League Baseball’s top prospects, to a minor league contract. Ben Nicholson-Smith confirmed the news, which was first reported by Mike Rodriguez.

It’s a contract that’s not really risky. After all, at worst, Jimenez will play a few weeks in the minors, make a few thousand dollars and walk away.

But at best, he’ll make an impact.

That said, don’t hold your breath: I’d be surprised if the newcomer makes an impact with the Queen City club. And that’s even if I like the gamble that’s been taken by the Blue Jays because of the low risk.

After all, in 2024, Jimenez wasn’t good with the White Sox and Orioles. And in 2025, he played in AAA for the Rays before being injured, released… without getting a chance to play a single game in the Majors.

That said, the lure of a 28-year-old with a Silver Stick (2020) behind his tie means that some teams will be tempted to give him a few too many chances to get back into MLB.

I’m sure the Blue Jays weren’t the only ones who wanted him.

Don’t expect Jimenez to be recalled on September 1, when lineups are expanded: he needs to get back in shape and prove his worth. And if we’re going to recall an outfielder, we might as well trust Joey Loperfido, right?

To be continued.

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Red Sox: big prospect Payton Tolle to face Paul Skenes tonight

Did we ever tell you that the Red Sox know how to draft? We think we told you recently on a podcast near you, anyway.

But hey. All that to say, Payton Tolle is a good example. The second-round pick in 2024 is thriving on the mound in his first year in the pros.

And now he’s going to be rewarded.

Tonight, when Paul Skenes takes the mound for the Pittsburgh Pirates at the legendary Red Sox Stadium, Tolle will be the starting pitcher in his Major League Baseball debut.

No pressure, kid.

Tolle is the Sox’ top prospect on the mound, and he’ll be called upon to pitch in an environment that won’t be easy to manage. Will he be able to deliver the goods in a playoff race?

Tolle will be the ninth rookie to play for the Boston club this season.

Seeing the Red Sox bring in a guy with no experience will make this a duel not to be missed. Two good youngsters (including Skenes, who’s battling for the Cy Young) on the mound is a seller.

I can’t wait to see how the Boston prospect is handled. Do the Red Sox want to give him a full-time spot in the rotation right away? Is he only there for one or two starts?

Jonah Tong will make his Mets debut, and Shane Bieber will pitch at Rogers Centre for the first time since being traded last month.

All of which makes one wonder if the Blue Jays, who also have a big prospect who was drafted in 2024 and is breaking it down at several levels in the minors, will emulate the Red Sox in the coming days or weeks.

Trey Yesavage in the bullpen could do it…

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Four home runs for Kyle Schwarber yesterday: he approaches the 50 mark

Yesterday, the Phillies faced the Braves in Pennsylvania. Soon, Aaron Nola, who is having a bad season, gave up three runs and was booed by his own fans. #Philly

But after that, he didn’t make much of an impact (despite his four runs in six innings, which isn’t too shabby) because the story of the game changed dramatically in the Phillies’ first at-bat.

The club scored five runs en route to a 19-4 victory. Kyle Schwarber, J.T. Realmuto and Max Kepler followed suit.

However, the story of the game was that Kyle Schwarber hit four long balls. The Phillies can thank him for the new franchise record: seven home runs in one game. Bryce Harper also has a long ball, for those wondering.

So Schwarber ended a 0-in-20 streak by going 4-in-6 and hitting four long balls. He also produced nine points, which is a new franchise record.

He failed to hit a fifth, which would have been a league record. He did, however, become the 21st player in history to have a four-home run game… including the third this year. #NickKurtz #EugenioSuarez

Since there have been 24 perfect games in history and only 21 four-run performances, we’ve just witnessed, for the third time this season, a feat of arms rarer than a perfect game. That’s no mean feat.

Schwarber has 49 home runs this season… and we learned in 2024 that a full-time DH can easily win the MVP. Can Schwarber, who is driving up the price at which he’ll sign this winter, beat Shohei Ohtani for the MVP title in the Nationals?

Schwarber received a standing ovation from the fans. With good reason, you might say.

49 long balls in his first 134 games of a season equals a franchise mark (Ryan Howard, 2006) in Philadelphia. And what’s more, with 180 long balls since 2022, he’s tackling the league record for most home runs in his first four years with a new team.

  • Kyle Schwarber: more home runs yesterday than Jazz Chisholm Jr. at the home run contest.

  • Aaron Nola: ranks third for most strikeouts in Phillies colors.

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“Agents tell players not to steal”

In modern baseball, base stealing is less frequent than in the past. There are, of course, a few exceptions, and the increase in the size of the bases has restored the image of stolen bases a little, but generally speaking, it’s nowhere near what we’ve seen in the past.

The leader for stolen bases in the Majors this season, Jose Caballero, has just 41. That’s nothing to sneeze at.

We know that the mentality of modern baseball isn’t very conducive to stolen bases… but according to A.J. Pierzynski, who chatted to Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol, there’s another factor at play: players’ agents.

In fact, according to Marmol, players are advised by their agents not to steal.

The reason? To avoid losing money in salary arbitration.

In fact, according to Marmol, agents explain all this by saying that teams, when it comes time to negotiate, look a lot at a player’s success percentage in terms of stealing bases. Basically, a player who steals a lot but has a lower success percentage is likely to make less money than a player who steals little but has a high success percentage.

At least, that’s what Marmol claims, going so far as to say that some players outright refuse to steal a goal when instructed to do so.

And to a certain extent, there’s some truth in that. There’s a lot of emphasis on the success rate, because that’s worth something.

But to think that a player who steals a lot of will have a hard time getting paid for it is probably a bit of an exaggeration. Kyle Tucker, for example, would be better off not trying to steal goals this season, if Marmol is anything to go by… but his 25 larcenies in 2025 rank him 13th in the Majors.

Will a player like Chandler Simpson have a harder time hitting the jackpot than a slower but more complete player? Yes, probably. But that’s not because he steals and gets screwed a lot, it’s simply because he has fewer tools in his toolbox.

To me, that’s the nuance. And I have the impression that we tend to lose it in a duel of mentalities. Because no, this debate isn’t all black and white.

  • Three circuits tonight (for now, at least) for Kyle Schwarber.

  • Ryan Yarbrough in the bullpen?

  • Jonathan Loaisiga: season over.

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Kevin Millar stands up and criticizes Rafael Devers

Kevin Millar is known for having played in the majors (notably with the Red Sox) and for having been a media presence for many years. In particular, he is affiliated with the Red Sox.

And clearly, he has opinions on the subject.

When he recently appeared on the Foul Territory podcast, he was quick to mention that he was 1000% behind the organization when asked about the Rafael Devers deal. He didn’t hesitate to speak his mind, even though he didn’t have to.

He wondered whether the player had been ill-advised, because in the end, Devers is a ball player who has to do what it takes to win. Especially when you’re making over $300 million.

Millar mentions that many guys have changed their position to help their club in the past. And Devers’ refusal to do what’s best for the club clearly frustrates him.

The member of the media is happy that the Sox have freed up $260 million to invest in other guys.

[We can use the money] to extend the contract of Alex Bregman, who is a baseball player. – Kevin Millar

As much as he likes Devers, who is “a good kid” in his eyes, he believes that money and popularity have changed him. And in his eyes, it’s without Devers that the Red Sox have become a team.

Let’s not forget that Craig Breslow had said that without Devers, the club might become better. Everyone laughed… but it happened. And the Giants, who don’t line up to make the playoffs, have been going in circles since the arrival of the mighty Dominican.

Millar has often returned to the team concept. Opening up the DH position has helped Masataka Yoshida and Roman Anthony play, which has also brought flexibility to town.

Without wanting to put it all on Devers, the veteran recalls that he was in the heart of the line-up in recent years, but that the club wasn’t winning more. Why is that?

Players don’t win championships. Teams win championships. – Kevin Millar

Clearly, there’s a growing understanding that Devers, whose attitude was questioned often enough during the last ball season, was an internal problem.

And right now, the Red Sox are freer, let’s put it that way.

  • Frankie Montas: his 2026 season is in jeopardy.

  • Yes, Bud Selig, asking for a salary cap would create bickering.

  • Will Corey Seager play another game this season?

  • Big win for the Red Sox.

  • Jose Bautista helps out Dunedin.

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MLB in brief: Alek Manoah the starter | Mark Teixeira in politics

Alek Manoah the starter

Right now, the plan is to keep him in a starting role (not use him in relief) in Buffalo for the short term. #Depth

Bringing back Max Scherzer in 2026?

The question must be asked.

Nick Kurtz is the talk of the town

A’s rookie dominates in 2025.

Bryce Eldridge not expected to play in San Francisco until 2026

He’s a top prospect.

Mark Teixeira in politics

He’s running for office in Texas.

More circuit flights than ever

Why?

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