The Houston Astros brought back a familiar face Friday, re-acquiring outfielder Joey Loperfido from the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Jesús Sánchez in a swap of left-handed-hitting outfielders.
The trade marks an emotional homecoming for Loperfido, who was originally drafted by Houston in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft out of Duke.
“He’s fired up. It was very tough when he left here last time, when we traded him, very emotional for him,” Astros general manager Dana Brown said Friday morning. “We know all about the makeup and how special his makeup is, but to get a guy like this that’s trending in the right direction with five years of control made it more appealing.”
The Journey Back
Loperfido made his MLB debut with Houston on April 30, 2024, recording a two-RBI single in his first game against Carlos Carrasco and the Cleveland Guardians. He hit his first career home run on May 16 against Oakland.
On July 29, 2024, he was traded to Toronto along with Jake Bloss and Will Wagner as part of the package that brought left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to Houston. Loperfido appeared in 38 games with the Astros before the deal, slashing .236/.299/.359 with two home runs.
Strong 2025 Performance
The 26-year-old showed improvement with the Blue Jays in 2025, hitting .333/.379/.500 with four home runs and 14 RBIs over 104 plate appearances (.879 OPS) in 41 games across two call-ups from Triple-A Buffalo.
Overall between the majors and minors in 2024–25, Loperfido appeared in 84 games with Toronto, compiling a .253/.296/.408 slash line.
Financial Motivations
The trade also provides payroll relief for Houston. Sánchez, acquired from Miami at last year’s trade deadline, was due to make $6.8 million in 2026. Loperfido, still in his pre-arbitration years, will make the league minimum and has five years of team control remaining before reaching free agency in 2031.
Sánchez struggled during his time in Houston, hitting just .199/.269/.342 with a 71 wRC+ in 160 plate appearances — a sharp drop from the .253/.319/.428 line he posted across nearly 1,300 plate appearances with Miami.
Opportunity in Houston
Loperfido, who can play all three outfield positions, will compete for time in an unsettled Astros outfield. With Jose Altuve returning to second base after struggling in left field last season, there’s an opening for a regular role in left.
He’ll compete with Jake Meyers as well as younger players like Cam Smith and Zach Cole for playing time.
Brown emphasized the move doesn’t signal the end of Houston’s roster adjustments.
“We’re definitely having a lot of conversations and we’re still focused on left-hand bats,” Brown said, noting the team is “not done yet” making moves this spring.
The Astros welcomed Loperfido back on social media with a simple message: “Welcome home, Joey!” along with the hashtag #ChaseTheFight.