Jesús Sánchez has been on the Blue Jays’ radar for a while. Alex Slitz / Getty Images
Feb. 13, 2026 10:26 am EST
DUNEDIN, Fla. — The Toronto Blue Jays needed a big swinger. Days after losing Anthony Santander for at least five months, Toronto acquired left-handed outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Houston Astros in exchange for Joey Loperfido. The trade injects new power potential into the Jays’ lineup.
“(Sánchez) can steal a base and is a really unique athlete,” general manager Ross Atkins said at the team’s spring training complex on Friday. “Above average runner, the defence is strong and the power is as good as anybody in baseball.”
The 28-year-old Sánchez has hit at least 13 homers in each of the last five seasons, with most of his production coming against right-handed pitching.
The Jays signed Santander ahead of the 2025 season in hopes he’d bring thump to the lineup, but he played just 54 games and is now out while recovering from shoulder surgery.
Sánchez hasn’t flashed the 40-homer upside of Santander, but Atkins called him one of their “better options” against righties now. He should join Addison Barger and Nathan Lukes as lefty options for the top of Toronto’s lineup, at least against right-handers.
While Sánchez hasn’t posted a full-season OPS over .780 since 2021, he had one of the quickest bat speeds in baseball last year (93rd percentile) as well as well-above-average exit velocities. But he struggled after joining the Astros at the trade deadline. The Jays, Atkins said, expressed interest in Sánchez at that time and have been interested in him for a while.
Loperfido, though, does hold some of the same upside as Sánchez, with above-average bat speeds and solid speed and fielding skill. Loperfido was also optionable, able to be sent to the minors, and was making the league minimum.
Sánchez’s longer track record in MLB and his power potential clearly intrigued Toronto. And it seems that taking on Sánchez’s $6.8 million contract, which could push the team above the final luxury tax threshold, isn’t an issue for the Jays, who spent more money this offseason than other teams.
Feb 13, 2026
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