The Toronto Blue Jays have experienced a significant power outage in the first month of the 2025 MLB season, ranking 29th in home runs and struggling to score runs, despite strong performances from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette. Much of the blame falls on Anthony Santander, their high-profile acquisition, who has failed to replicate his previous season's success, batting a meager .179 with only three home runs. Santander's slow start may be attributed to his historical April struggles and the transition to a new team after eight years with the Baltimore Orioles. However, a recent home run against the New York Yankees might signal improvement. The team's disappointing performance has led to discussions about demoting a slumping prospect upon Daulton Varsho's return.

The Toronto Blue Jays, despite maintaining a .500 record through strong pitching, have been plagued by a lack of power, ranking 29th in home runs and scoring fewer runs than almost every other team.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, although underperforming in terms of home runs, are not the main issues, as Guerrero maintains a .372 on-base percentage and 121 OPS+, while Bichette holds a .292 batting average.

The primary concern is Anthony Santander, who signed a $92.5 million contract after a standout season with the Baltimore Orioles but is currently underperforming with a .179 batting average and only three home runs.

Santander's struggles can be partly explained by his historically slow starts in April and the challenges of adjusting to a new team environment after a long tenure with the Orioles.

Despite his struggles, a recent home run against the New York Yankees suggests the potential for improvement as he adjusts to his new role.

The underperformance of the team has led to speculation about potential roster changes, including the possible demotion of a slumping prospect when Daulton Varsho returns.

The analysis of Santander's performance highlights the broader issues within the team and suggests a need for strategic adjustments moving forward.

Though strong pitching had kept the Toronto Blue Jays hovering around the .500 mark, the story from the first month of the 2025 season has been their eye-opening power outage.

The Blue Jays rank just 29th in Major League Baseball with 15 home runs and have scored fewer runs than all but three clubs. Much of the attention will focus on $500 million man Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and former All-Star shortstop Bo Bichette, who have combined for just two longballs through the team’s first 28 games, but they are far from the main culprits. Guerrero has at least gotten on base at a .372 clip and posted a robust 121 OPS+, while Bichette is second on the team with a .292 batting average. 

The biggest issue for the Blue Jays, in fact, is actually the guy hitting behind them. Fresh off a 44 home-run season with the Baltimore Orioles, Anthony Santander inked a five-year, $92.5 million deal with the Blue Jays to add some more thump to the middle of the order, but his big bat has yet to make the trip up north. The 30-year-old is currently hitting just .179 with three home runs while seeing his expected slugging and barrel rates plummet from a season ago. Santander has not come close to replicating his 2024 performance, which is why Bleacher Reports Kerry Miller identified him as one of baseball’s biggest disappointments thus far. 

“With the exception of a big three-run homer off Spencer Schwellenbach two weeks ago, though, Santander hasn't delivered in the slightest,” wrote Miller. 

On the bright side, Miller noted that Santander has a history of starting out slow, as his career April OPS of .640 is his lowest of any month. Add in the adjustment of playing on a new team after eight years of Baltimore, and it makes sense why Santander has struggled so mightily this month. Perhaps his home run on Sunday against the New York Yankees is a sign of better things to come. 

More MLB: Blue Jays predicted to demote slumping No. 5 prospect when Daulton Varsho returns