Toronto got Sanchez in a one-for-one deal with the Houston Astros for fellow outfielder Joey Loperfido on Feb. 13.

Sanchez, 28, hit .237 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 134 games last season between the Miami Marlins and Houston. The left-handed hitter had 73 home runs in 580 games over six major-league seasons before joining the Blue Jays.

His best-ever season was in 2024 when he had a .252 batting average, 123 hits including 18 home runs and 64 RBIs. His highest OPS was .808 in 2021, also with the Marlins.

When Sanchez joined Toronto he and the Blue Jays hitting coaches agreed he had to avoid pulling the ball, instead focusing on solid contact up the middle.

“I want to stay back through the middle, left centre, right centre,” said Sanchez. “That’s what we’ve been working on since spring training and obviously it’s working pretty good for me.

“I’m feeling good with that approach, and I’m going to continue to keep working on that.”

It’s early in the season, but in 16 plate appearances Sanchez has a .675 Expected Weighted On-base Average — a Sabermetric stat measuring a hitter’s skill based on quality of contact — and a .538 Expected Batting Average. He tops Major League Baseball in both of those advanced stat categories which are predictive rather than based on results.

Sanchez struck out for the first time this season on Tuesday and has walked in 16.7 per cent of his plate appearances for a .563 on-base percentage.

His strategy of trying to keep the ball in the middle of the field has resulted in a 22.2 barrel percentage, one of the most reliable metrics for predicting power because it shows that a hitter is consistently making optimal contact.

“He’s swinging at the good pitches and he’s swinging with intent. That’s basically it,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “I think he’s realizing our approach and within that what we’re asking him to do, and it’s paying off.

“He’s got a lot of talent and I like what I see.”

So does surefire Hall of Fame pitcher Max Scherzer, who earned the win for Toronto on Tuesday.

“I faced him over the years, so I know he’s a quality at bat and presents problems for you,” said Scherzer. “It’s good that he’s on our team, presenting problems for the opposing team.

“It’s good to see him get his opportunity and come through in some big spots for us.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 1, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press