Blue Jays Acquire Sánchez from Astros for Loperfido

The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Houston Astros on Friday in exchange for outfielder Joey Loperfido, a move announced during the first week of spring training in Dunedin, Florida. The trade addresses a key gap in Toronto's outfield depth following an injury to slugger Anthony Santander.

Sánchez, a 28-year-old left-handed hitter entering his seventh major league season, brings proven power to the Blue Jays lineup. Over 580 career games with the Miami Marlins and Astros, he has batted .239 with a .307 on-base percentage and 73 home runs. Last season, split between Miami and Houston, Sánchez hit .237 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 134 games. He has recorded double-digit home runs in each of the past five seasons, peaking at 18 in 2024 with the Marlins, where he slashed .252/.313/.417 with 64 RBIs. Sánchez performs particularly well against right-handed pitchers, posting a .253/.324/.450 line in those matchups, and he has played primarily in right field while also seeing time in left and center. Defensively, he rates as an above-average outfielder. Originally signed as an amateur free agent by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014, Sánchez was traded to Miami...