Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Anthony Santander has been scratched from the American League Championship Series (ALCS) Game 2 due to lower back tightness. He was removed from Game 3 after scoring from second base in the fifth inning, and subsequently, he has been taken off the Blue Jays' ALCS roster. Santander has been replaced by Joey Loperfido.
The switch was approved by Major League Baseball (MLB) approximately one hour before Game 4. This substitution needed the endorsement of Dr. Gary Green, MLB's medical director, and makes Santander ineligible for the World Series if the Blue Jays advance. The team decided to submit this request as they could not wait for Santander's lumbar spine inflammation to improve.
Prior to the confirmation of the substitution, Blue Jays manager John Schneider expressed concerns regarding Santander's condition after their 13-4 victory on Wednesday. He stated that Santander felt "pretty stiff" and "sore after" the game. Schneider noted that he checked in with Santander the following morning and he still felt discomfort, leading the team to hold off as long as possible before making the decision to not play him.
Schneider also addressed the prospect of replacing Santander on the roster by saying, "We’ll see. I think getting checked out by staff, getting checked out by doctors, trying to put a timeline on it, really, is he good today? Can you buy a day? All things that we have to consider." This indicates that the team was in a state of evaluation regarding Santander's injury and how it could impact their roster decisions moving forward.
Joey Loperfido's promotion to the Blue Jays' ALCS roster adds another left-handed bat, which could be beneficial given the right-handed-heavy pitching staff of the Seattle Mariners. Loperfido has been working out with the Blue Jays throughout the playoffs to ensure he remains prepared for such an opportunity.
Another potential option to replace Santander could have been Bo Bichette. However, Bichette has not attempted to run the bases since a limited attempt on Saturday. On Thursday, he continued to run in the outfield and took batting practice, but the Blue Jays are approaching his recovery on a day-by-day basis, especially when it comes to building up his running capability.
The situation surrounding Santander exemplifies the challenges that teams face during the high-stakes environment of the playoffs, where player health must be carefully managed, and strategic roster decisions can have significant implications for the team's success on the field.
