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Sometimes, a trade is all about being in the right place at the right time – or, in the case of a player who doesn’t want to be traded, the wrong time.
As the trade deadline is approaching, the Toronto Blue Jays suddenly find themselves with the best record in the American League. They’ve got needs to meet at Thursday’s deadline, but they also have a fortunate surplus to exploit.
The Toronto outfield is suddenly loaded with talent, and when Daulton Varsho returns from the injured list, one young player is going to be out of a job. That’s likely to be Joey Loperfido, who has a fantastic .893 OPS in the 12 games since he was recalled.
Has Loperfido’s hot streak landed him a one-way ticket out of Toronto, into a situation with more consistent playing time? That’s what one team insider believes.
On Friday, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic predicted that Loperfido would be traded by Thursday thanks to his heightened trade value following this recent hot streak.
“The Jays have nine outfielders on the 40-man roster, plus Anthony Santander on the 60-day IL. They’ll likely move one of the many similar young outfielders,” wrote Bannon. “It’s a group that includes Alan Roden and Jonatan Clase, but Joey Loperfido’s value might be the highest of the bunch. When Daulton Varsho returns from his hamstring injury, Loperfido likely loses his MLB spot anyway. So, he’s the perfect high stock to cash in.”
The Blue Jays landed Loperfido in the Yusei Kikuchi trade with the Houston Astros last July, so it would be an odd full-circle moment for the youngster to be dealt for a second year in a row, as Toronto has flipped from sellers to buyers in a year’s time.
It’s going to be a nerve-wracking week for many young players, Loperfido included. But the silver lining of having to leave a Blue Jays team fighting for a pennant might be a better opportunity to finally become an established big-leaguer.
More MLB: Dodgers Predicted to Cut Ties with 6-Year Veteran Hurler by Trade Deadline
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