After falling short of the playoffs in 2024, the Blue Jays have bounced back in a big way. On Sunday, they became the first American League team to punch their ticket to the postseason, beating the Royals 8-5 on the road. And after securing the postseason berth, the Blue Jays are now targeting the divisional title, their first since 2015.

“The job is not finished. We want to win the division.” Vladimir Guerrero Jr. meant business as the Yankees are also pushing hard for the divisional title with just 2 games behind. And it seems like Toronto is also aiming to finish strong and make a push for the title. To set themselves up for October, the Jays are even shaking up their lineup, bringing back a veteran presence while making the tough call to sideline a fan favorite.

Well, Alek Manoah can be considered a fan favorite, right? “The Alek Manoah DFA comes after seven starts at AAA with a 2.97 ERA. He has two years of arb eligibility after this year, too. It’s been a couple of years since he was a Cy Young finalist, but certainly a surprising Blue Jays move,“ MLB insider Mitch Bannon reports.

The Blue Jays have made a big move by designating Alek Manoah for assignment, officially bringing an end to what once looked like a long-term partnership. And the decision came on the same day the Jays activated their star veteran.

Anthony Santander is back from the 60-day IL. But we still remember when Manoah was dominant back in 2022. He was logging nearly 200 innings with a sparkling 2.24 ERA. However, the cracks started to show in 2023.

His command slipped, and his ERA ballooned close to six over 19 starts. Things only got tougher after his Tommy John surgery. Fast forward to the present, Manoah has been working his way back at Triple-A Buffalo, putting up a solid 2.97 ERA across seven starts. But when the Blue Jays needed a 40-man roster spot for Santander on Tuesday, Manoah was the odd man out.

Santander is still away from starting for the Blue Jays

But if you thought Anthony Santander was about to jump right back into the Blue Jays’ lineup, hold that thought. As per Mitch Bannon, Toronto decided not to activate him on Tuesday before their series opener against the Red Sox. Reportedly, either Santander will be activated soon, or he’ll head to Buffalo for more live at-bats to sharpen his timing.

Reason for not activating him right away?

His struggles in 2025. Just before getting sidelined, Santander was slashing .179/.273/.304 with only 6 HRs, and there’s no denying he’s looked out of rhythm at the plate. But the Jays still have reason to believe in his bat.

Santander has put up an OPS+ of at least 120 for three straight seasons coming into this year, and in five of the past six, he’s finished above league average.

Now, it’s also part of why Toronto is being so careful here.

They’re not just thinking about the final week of the regular season, but about October. A healthy, confident Santander could be the difference-maker in the middle of the order. Thus, giving the Blue Jays an extra power threat to lengthen the lineup. So, while fans may be eager to see him back right away, the team seems focused on making sure he’s truly ready to contribute when the stakes are highest.