Anthony Santander contract should thrill Blue Jays fans after high-profile misses

It took a lot longer, and featured more swings and misses than they would have liked, but the Toronto Blue Jays finally got the bat they've been hunting all offseason long.

According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the switch-hitting outfielder signed a five-year, $92.5 million contract with Toronto, with a team option for a sixth year and an opt-out clause after year three.

It's been a rough offseason for the Blue Jays and their fans; the team has found itself trapped in a sort of limbo between continuing to push for contention with a core that hasn't lived up to expectations, and hitting the reset button and trading stars like Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrerro Jr. for prospects and parts.

Making matters worse, they've missed on virtually every prominent free agent they've chased; Juan Soto headed to the Mets, Corbin Burnes signed with the Diamondbacks, and Roki Sasaki joined the Dodgers.

Now, though, they have a signing they can be proud of, and one who fits perfectly with their needs. Santander was one of the best power hitters in all of baseball last season, thumping 44 home runs, third-best in the majors behind Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

Despite switch-hitting, he was markedly better from the left side of the plate, hitting 32 home runs and hitting a full 14 points better. But he's a perfect fit for a Jays team who was in dire need of outfield help and another impact bat in the lineup.

Santander is the pure cleanup hitter the Jays have been lacking, and that Guerrerro Jr. has not become. He stabilizes the lineup, and gives Guerrerro and Bichette protection. He was a decent right fielder, and will likely allow George Springer to move into a more permanent role as the DH. He'll thrive in the Rogers Centre, with its cavernous outfield and propensity for giving up home runs and doubles, two things Santander does extremely well.

The 30-year-old isn't the flashy, splashy free agent that Blue Jays fans wanted. But he's a piece that fits absolutely perfectly with their needs, and doesn't break the bank going forward. They could still use another corner infielder; third base still looks like an absolute mess and they don't really have a prospect who can step in there right away.

In the end, Santander is a perfect fit in Toronto, and gives them a power threat in the outfield they haven't had since Lourdes Gurriel, Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez left town.