This week’s MLB injury report brings news on Toronto Blue Jays star Anthony Santander and Atlanta Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach. Santander didn’t show up much in 2025 and the trend might continue this season.
Meanwhile, Spencer Schwellenbach has recently undergone surgery, impacting his return timeline for the 2026 season.
Anthony Santander Set for Longer Layoff
The Blue Jays showed a lot of promise in Anthony Santander when they signed the slugger to a five-year, $92.5 million contract last offseason. However, the former Baltimore Orioles slugger slashed just .179/.273/.304 with six home runs and 18 RBI over 50 games before being shut down with left shoulder inflammation on May 30. He returned in Sept. to play four more games, where he registered one hit and one walk. He missed the postseason due to back tightness.
The left shoulder wasn’t completely healed and the slugger underwent labral repair last season. This will sideline him for another six to eight months.
“It’s not easy to deal with something like this,” Santander said Wednesday morning through an interpreter. “Coming here to a new team, signing my contract, I want to be there with the guys every day. But unfortunately, things happen that are not under your control. I know some people think differently, but I know who I am. I know I’m trying my best to be on the field with my teammates, and I still have this year and three more years on my contract, so I’m very positive, and I know I’m going to be keep working hard and prepare myself to be ready with my teammates.”
Because of the procedure, Santander’s timeline has been delayed to return by mid-August. Santander also said why the surgery didn’t happen earlier at the end of the last season.
“It’s nobody’s fault, it just didn’t show up,” he said. “When they opened it up, they could see that actually I needed (surgery). They didn’t know why the MRI didn’t show how bad it was.”
Braves’ Spencer Schwellenbach Undergoes Surgery
The Braves’ pitching staff has been hit badly. On Wednesday, an update on Spencer Schwellenbach came up.
According to MLB insider Mark Bowman, Schwellenbach underwent surgery to remove loose bodies on Wednesday. Another one of their ace Hurston Waldrep is scheduled to undergo a similar procedure on Monday. While the Braves didn’t give any specific return timeline, Braves manager Walt Weiss is confident both will return to pitch this year.
Schwellenbach was placed on the 60-day injured list earlier in spring training because of right elbow inflammation.
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