Some moves that may look underwhelming could end up making a major impact down the road, and the Toronto Blue Jays might have accomplished such a feat through their most recent deal with the Houston Astros.
According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Astros for fellow outfielder Joey Loperfido.
“Trade news: The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesus Sanchez from the Houston Astros for outfielder Joey Loperfido, whom they had traded to Toronto in the Yusei Kikuchi deal at the 2024 deadline,” Passan tweeted.
Sanchez spent limited time the Astros, but showed that he could make a difference with his previous team, the Miami Marlins. He slashed 253/.319/.428 during his tenure with the Fish and also cranked 69 home runs.
According to Baseball Savant Sanchez ranked in the 93rd percentile in terms of Bat Speed and the 79th percentile in terms of Average Exit Velocity. While he has yet to have a true breakout campaign, it is evident that he boasts the sort of raw potential that could blossom over time.
In exchange for Sanchez, the Astros receive a solid outfielder who played well during his stint in Toronto. Loperfido slashed 333/.379/.500 in 104 plate appearances with the Blue Jays. The Philadelphia native holds a .689 career OPS and a .297 OBP.
Additionally, he ranked in the 81st percentile in terms of Sprint Speed last season. The 26-year-old will now return to the team that originally drafted him in 2021.
The new season has arrived and while the Blue Jays and Astros’ latest swap will not dramatically change the trajectory of either franchise, each player could prove to be a steal if placed in the right situations.
