ANAHEIM — The Astros and Blue Jays made a splashy move in the early days of Spring Training, swapping outfielders Joey Loperfido and Jesús Sánchez. So far, the trade has been a win for Toronto, with Sánchez making an immediate impact by slashing .296/.328/.476 and launching seven homers in his first 64 games with the Jays.
On the flip side, Loperfido’s journey back to the Astros has been marred by a quad injury, limiting him to just his 21st game of the season during Tuesday’s 10-1 loss at Angel Stadium. Called up from Triple-A Sugar Land, Loperfido stepped in for veteran outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr., who suffered a significant hamstring strain just four games into his stint with Houston.
The Astros brought in Wade last week, hoping he could inject some life into an outfield that has struggled mightily this season. Entering Tuesday, the Astros’ outfielders had a collective OPS of .668, ranking sixth-worst in the league. Designated hitter Yordan Alvarez’s impressive 1.030 OPS in his limited left field appearances has been one of the few bright spots.
Loperfido, who started the season as the Astros’ Opening Day left fielder, is eager to fill the offensive void. Before his injury, he was off to a solid start with a .276/.348/.362 line over 20 games. Unfortunately, his return on Tuesday saw him go 0-for-3 with two strikeouts.
“The human instinct is to want to contribute,” Loperfido shared. “I think the best way to go about that is just to play my game and not try to do too much. Just have good at-bats and let it speak for itself.”
Drafted by the Astros in the seventh round out of Duke University in 2021, Loperfido had an emotional moment when he learned he was being traded to the Blue Jays at the 2024 Trade Deadline. Alongside prospects Jake Bloss and Will Wagner, Loperfido was sent to Toronto in exchange for pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
Fast forward a year, and the Astros brought Sánchez in from the Marlins at the Trade Deadline, but his stint in Houston was less than stellar, with a .199/.269/.342 line and four homers in 48 games. The Astros opted not to pay his $6.8 million salary this year, believing Loperfido’s best years were ahead and valuing his five years of club control. Loperfido had also made strides in reducing his strikeout rate by 10 percent from 2024 to 2025, prompting the Astros to reacquire him.
Astros manager Joe Espada emphasized the importance of Loperfido’s approach at the plate: “Even before the injury, just more consistent quality of at-bats, using the whole field. We saw some of that in Triple-A during his rehab. The conversation with him when he’s doing well is he’s using the whole field and not trying to do too much.”
Loperfido’s time on the injured list was a first for him as a professional, and the Astros took a cautious approach with his rehab, ensuring he was fully ready to return without risking further injury.
Reflecting on his time sidelined, Loperfido admitted, “It was frustrating, to be honest with you, to not be able to be out there with the guys. Watching from the sidelines is a look that I don’t really want to have to experience again. I just did my best to attack the rehab and get back to a spot where I felt like I could be back out on the field.”
Now back in the lineup, Loperfido is determined to make his mark and help lift the Astros’ outfield production.
