Blue Jays-Astros Trade Illustrates Major Shift in AL Power Dynamics

Remember when the Blue Jays were sellers?

Oct 23, 2025; Toronto, ON, Canada; Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Joey Loperfido (10) takes batting practice during media day and team workouts at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images | Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

A lot can change in 19 months in Major League Baseball, and Friday's news was the perfect illustration.

According to the official transactions log, the Toronto Blue Jays traded outfielder Joey Loperfido to the Houston Astros on Friday in a straight-up swap for outfielder Jesús Sánchez. Loperfido wound up playing just 84 games for the Blue Jays after he was traded from the Astros in July of 2024.

The Astros bringing back Loperfido wasn't just a sign that they had regrets about moving him in the deal for rental pitcher Yusei Kikuchi, who was very good in Houston for two months. It was a reminder of all that has changed in the American League over the last 19 months, in the context of a rapidly evolving competitive landscape.

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Blue Jays and Astros have both changed a lot

Sep 16, 2025; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros left fielder Jesus Sanchez (4) hits an RBI single during the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Not everything about Major League Baseball relates back to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but both of these teams have taken their crack at trying to win the World Series over the past couple of years. The Astros' arrow has seemingly trended downward, while the Blue Jays have pulled such a strong 180 that they're now taking other teams' salary dumps.

When the Astros made the Loperfido-for-Kikuchi swap, they still had Alex Bregman, Kyle Tucker, and Framber Valdez on the roster. All three of those players are gone because the Astros weren't willing to pay market value for them in free agency, and yet they still felt it necessary to shed $6.8 million in extra payroll.

Meanwhile, in 2024, the Blue Jays were still seen as free agency failures. They'd struck out on Shohei Ohtani the previous offseason, and were about to miss on Juan Soto. There were even rampant rumors about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being a trade candidate.

It's fascinating to think about how both of these teams still hope to compete for championships, but have gone in completely different directions in terms of roster construction. The power dynamics of their divisions are also worth keeping in mind, as the AL East is a powder keg, while the Astros just have to worry about getting past the defending champion Seattle Mariners in the West.

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