Toronto Blue Jays’ Joey Loperfido works out ahead of Game 3 of the 2025 World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers in L.A. in October, 2025.Ashley Landis/The Associated Press
Joey Loperfido received a text late Thursday night from Ross Atkins, the Blue Jays general manager.
“Give me a call when you get a chance,” Atkins wrote.
At which point Loperfido, a Toronto outfielder, turned to his girlfriend and said, “Looks like we may be moving somewhere else.”
Loperfido, who batted .333 in 41 games with the Blue Jays in 2025 as he bounced between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo, did not anticipate he would be traded but is not naive enough to think it couldn’t happen.
“I didn’t see it coming, but whenever you play this game, you take a chance that whoever you play for one day may be different the next,” Loperfido said Friday at Toronto’s training development complex in Dunedin, Fla.
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A seventh-round draft pick of the Astros in 2021, Loperfido was dealt back to Houston in exchange for veteran outfielder Jesús Sánchez. The latter is a left-handed power hitter whose acquisition became important when the Blue Jays lost Anthony Santander recently to a major shoulder injury.
Santander missed most of last season, his first with the club, also as a result of a shoulder injury.
Sánchez, 28, hit 14 home runs, had 48 runs batted in and 13 stolen bases with the Miami Marlins and Astros in 2025. In six major league seasons, he has connected for 73 homers.
Houston Astros’ Jesús Sánchez in action against the Seattle Mariners in Houston in September, 2025.Kevin M. Cox/The Associated Press
“Sánchez is a really unique athlete,” Atkins said on Friday. “He is an above-average runner, is strong on defence and the power is as good as anybody in baseball.”
Loperfido had stints with the Blue Jays in 2024 as well as last season. He struggled in his first go-around but blossomed for Toronto in a limited role last year. He is more of a contact hitter than Sánchez, and that may have played a role in the trade.
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“I wish him the best,” manager John Schneider said. “He was productive for us but didn’t have a full runway here based on a lot of circumstances.”
Schneider said they noticed Sánchez when Toronto played against him and heard good things from others.
“We want to tap into the power he does have and maybe tap into it a little more,” he said.
Loperfido said he is likely headed for Houston this weekend to join his new – and old – teammates.
“They told me they were excited to have me back in the building,” the 26-year-old said. “It is a familiar place and I know a ton of guys. If I had to go anywhere it’s a great place to land.
“I took pride in growing up in the organization.”
He said he will miss the Blue Jays.
“I feel playing with these guys caused me to fall in love with the game more than I had before.”