The Toronto Blue Jays came a tantalizing two outs away from winning their third World Series in franchise history this year. If closer Jeff Hoffman, after striking out leadoff batter Kiké Hernandez in the top of the ninth in Game 7, had simply retired the next two hitters rather than allowing a Los Angeles Dodgers journeyman infielder to take him deep, tying the game at 4-4, Toronto would have celebrated in front of its home fans.
But that wasnât what happened. The Dodgers went on to win in 11 innings, capturing their second straight World Series, and the Blue Jays have been left wondering what happened and, more importantly, what to do next year to get back into position for another run at the championship. Perhaps their most puzzling problem comes in the outfield, where their two most expensive players are either aging or injury-ridden or both.
Even facing a significant level of outfield uncertainty, the Blue Jays are now expected, according to one MLB expert, to cut ties with a promising 26-year-old outfielder who posted a 2025 OPS of .879, albeit in limited major-league action â higher production than any other Blue Jays outfielder except for 12-year veteran George Springer (.959). But Springer was used mainly as a DH.
Loperfido on Chopping Block
That player, who was expected by MLB.com baseball insider Mark Feinsand to be on his way out, is 26-year-old former Duke All-American Joey Loperfido.
Loperfido spent most of 2025 stuck behind an outfield logjam in Toronto, Feinsand wrote on Friday. âHe produced when given the opportunity ⦠and with five years of club control remaining, the 26-year-old could be part of a deal to land some pitching in Toronto.â
Of the Blue Jaysâ most-used outfield trio of Davis Schneider in left, Nathan Lukes in right and center fielder Dalton Varsho, only the latter managed an OPS over .800 (.833), and only Lukes played more than 82 games (135).
Big Money Outfielders Aging, Injured
And there were the big-money superstars. Four-time All-Star George Springer is now 36 years old and was able to play in the outfield in only 54 games and was used as a designated hitter in 82 more. Springer will be playing the final season of his six-year, $150 million contract and is owed $24 million in the upcoming season.
The Blue Jaysâ premier free-agent signing of last offseason, Anthony Santander, missed 108 games this year with a left shoulder injury. He scraped together a meager .565 OPS in the 221 plate appearances he was able to make.
Santander was dropped again in the American League Championship Series, this time with âback tightness.â His roster spot went to Loperfido, who was used for only one at-bat in the ALCS despite his promising performance during the 37 outfield games he played at the big-league level. The Haddonfield, New Jersey, native also appeared in four more games as a pinch hitter or pinch runner.
Loperfido Expected to Be Dealt for Pitching
Drafted in 2021 by the Houston Astros in the seventh round, by 2023 Loperfido rose to be the No. 6 prospect in the Houston farm system, according to MLB Pipeline rankings. Described as a âSwiss Army knifeâ type of player, Loperfido has also played first base at the major-league level, as well as second and third in the minors.
âThe Blue Jays could also look to package him with Jose Berrios, who seems to have become expendable following the signing of Dylan Cease,â wrote Blue Jays Central scribe Roger Macpherson on Saturday. âThose two together could net a big haul for Toronto.â
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