Toronto’s late-season push is finally taking shape as the core pieces return and the new deadline adds settle in. Max Scherzer has logged nine healthy weeks, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. avoided a long-term hamstring issue, and Daulton Varsho and Andrés Giménez cleared the IL. The Jays also gained stability from Shane Bieber, Seranthony Domínguez, Louis Varland, and Ty France, while Anthony Santander remains the big unknown as he nears a September return with the club hoping for a power boost.

Santander’s return would force roster juggling: Springer at DH more often, with Lukes or Addison Barg er potentially losing plate appearances, and Santander offering switch-hitting pop in a lineup already powering the AL. If he’s close to peak form, he could be a decisive playoff X-factor, reconnecting the Jays to the elite-homer profile they’ve built this month.

The power-rich blueprint Santander represents—44 homers prior to 2025 and a proven right-handed thunder—gives Toronto a clear playoff upside. The question is how quickly he can regain live-pitch timing and whether usage can be optimized without destabilizing the current run rhythm as September looms.