Anthony Santander is making real progress in his recovery, John Schneider said.
"He's hitting off live pitching down in Florida today and this weekend," Schneider told reporters.
That's a meaningful checkpoint on its own, live pitching being a genuine test after months away from game action.
Schneider didn't stop there. "And then optimistic me says if he can get into some rehab games in AAA next week."
The phrase "optimistic me" is doing some real work in that quote, a manager clearly hopeful but not ready to guarantee anything just yet.
Santander has been out since undergoing surgery to repair his left shoulder labrum in February, a recovery that was initially expected to take five to six months.
For most of this season, an actual 2026 return looked unlikely given that original timeline.
Why the next week could decide his whole season
Live pitching sessions this weekend are the bridge between simulated work and facing real game-speed arms again.
If Triple-A rehab games start next week as Schneider hopes, Santander would be on a real path back to Toronto before the regular season ends.
There's still no guaranteed activation date attached to any of this, and rehab assignments can hit unexpected snags even after positive steps.
But two consecutive encouraging updates in a short window suggest his recovery is genuinely trending in the right direction.
Toronto is fighting for its playoff life, and an experienced power bat returning even for the season's final stretch would be a real boost.
Whether Santander actually gets back into a Blue Jays uniform, or this remains a hopeful storyline that never quite arrives, should become clearer within the next couple of weeks.
Do you think Anthony Santander gets back onto the field for the Blue Jays before the season ends?
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