Santander will play a rehab game for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday, batting leadoff and playing left field.
He played two games with the Bisons last week as he attempts to return to the Blue Jays lineup after undergoing left shoulder surgery in February.
The 31-year-old has one hit in seven at-bats, a single last Friday, and has not played since. He was scheduled for rehab games through the middle of this week before he was scratched from the lineup due to mid-back discomfort.
The Bisons have three games remaining this season, with their final series of the season against the Rochester Red Wings concluding on Sunday.
Santander signed a five-year, $92.5-million contract with the Blue Jays in the 2024-25 off-season and hasn’t played yet this season. He also missed most of last year with an injury to the same shoulder.
In his limited games last season, he slashed .175/.271/.294 with a .565 OPS and six homers.
Before becoming a Blue Jay, Santander developed into a dependable slugger over eight seasons with the Baltimore Orioles. He had his best season at the plate in 2024 when he won a Silver Slugger Award and hit a career-high 44 home runs.