Since being recalled by the Toronto Blue Jays on July 6th, outfielder Joey Loperfido has been on a tear in the Major Leagues.
The left-handed bat, who was acquired at the 2024 trade deadline from the Houston Astros, put forward a remarkable .358/.409/.506 slash line through 81 at-bats. While he doesn’t walk a ton (just four free passes), he was using his power effectively, amassing three doubles and three home runs during his time with the Blue Jays, while also driving in 10 runs and crossing the plate 10 times as well.
Through the small sample size, he produced a .288 xBA and a .418 xSLG while feasting on right-handed pitching, owning a .548 SLG and a .355 average through 62 at-bats. Southpaws limited his power, albeit through a smaller sample (just a .368 SLG through 19 at-bats), but he still put the ball in play at a high rate, converting seven hits to the tune of a .368 average.
ROSTER MOVES:
🔹 OF George Springer reinstated from the 7-day IL and will be active today
🔹 OF Joey Loperfido optioned to Triple-A pic.twitter.com/naOl5Xn2cW
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 16, 2025
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With his 83rd percentile sprint speed, he handled the corner outfield spots well. This was apparent in left field, where he seemed more comfortable during his time with the Jays, and made the routine plays as needed from the position while also chipping in with an outfield assist.
Unfortunately for Loperfido, baseball is a business, and sometimes the numbers part of the game can get in the way.
With George Springer returning from the IL, the Jays were faced with a roster crunch that meant an undeserving player would either need to be DFA’d or optioned to the minor leagues. This was made even more difficult by the recent acquisition of Ty France, who is out of options, and although positionally limited, was also swinging a hot bat. The same goes for Nathan Lukes and Davis Schneider, who also had minor league options to work with, similar to Loperfido, but the Jays decided to keep those two when the dust settled.
Schneider has been playing excellent defence in left field and boasts a .300/.378/.500 slash line through his last 40 at-bats, with the added benefit that he can also play second base when needed. Lukes was likely the other potential name heading to Buffalo, given that his bat has fallen on hard times recently, but at 31 years old, manager John Schneider can use him as more of a bench piece compared to Loperfido, who would benefit from more time on the diamond compared to the bench (and something he will get in Buffalo with Springer’s return).
Rounding out the group was Myles Straw, who doesn’t have any options at his disposal. However, similar to Lukes, he is the perfect bench player for the Jays’ active roster with his plus speed and ability to handle the defensive side of the game. The Jays have used him in that role numerous times this season, and that’s not expected to change anytime soon.
Blue Jays: George Springer returns; Joey Loperfido optioned to Buffalo https://t.co/tuSlJvDUXE
— Blue Jays Nation (@thejaysnation) August 16, 2025
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Loperfido’s demotion isn’t because of what he did on the field, but rather he’s the odd man out in a situation that any team would love to have. So many players on the Jays are doing things right, and that means a tough decision needed to be made when Springer was ready to go. The Buddy Kennedy for Andres Gimenez swap earlier this week was written on the wall, but not many outside the organization knew what was going to happen when Springer got the green light to return. This time it was Loperfido, but an argument ro two could have been made for him to stay over some of the names I listed above.
It’s easy to say that the outfielder is the next in line for a promotion when the time comes. Whether that’s an injury or when rosters expand on September 1st, Loperfido showcased what he could do in the big leagues this season when given the opportunity. The eventual return of Anthony Santander may complicate matters, considering he will need a roster spot, but a lot can happen between now and then.
The demotion wasn’t deserved considering how Loperfido played at the top level, but don’t be surprised if you see him with the Jays when they take on the Cincinnati Reds on September 1st, which is conveniently 15 days away, the requireed amount of time Loperfido needs to spend in the minors after being optioned (barring injury replacement).