Trading away Yusei Kikuchi is paying dividends for the Toronto Blue Jays in 2026

The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t been sellers at the trade deadline often this decade, but 2024 was a notable exception. That season’s Blue Jays squad went a pitiful 74-88 en route to a last-place finish in the American League East. Injuries and underperformance sank the team after two consecutive playoff appearances. 

Starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi was the team’s biggest trade chip at that deadline, and they sent him to the Houston Astros for a package of prospects. Two of the three they acquired have since been traded again for players contributing to the 2026 squad. 

It’s never easy for a front office to waive the white flag on a season, yet the decision to sell off in 2024 has proven to be a wise one after several subsequent moves. 

How the Blue Jays turned Kikuchi into Jesús Sánchez and Brandon Valenzuela

The Blue Jays received outfielder Joey Loperfido, infielder Will Wagner, and pitcher Jake Bloss from the Astros in return for Kikuchi, who was slated to become a free agent after the 2024 season. 

The Astros got what they wanted out of the deal as Kikuchi pitched at an extremely high level for them down the stretch. He then cashed in with the Los Angeles Angels on a three-year, $63.675 million deal that offseason. 

Loperfido, the most highly-touted prospect in the trade, got a cup of coffee with the Blue Jays in 2025. The front office then traded him back to Houston this past February for Jesús Sánchez after failing to sign Kyle Tucker and learning Anthony Santander would miss most of the year after undergoing shoulder surgery. Sánchez has been one of the most important hitters on this year’s squad amid all its injuries, performing very well against right-handed pitching. 

Wagner, meanwhile, was flipped at the 2025 trade deadline for catcher Brandon Valenzuela—a true season-saver this year given Alejandro Kirk’s injury. He’s played excellent defence behind the plate and flashed some upside with the bat. He’s solidified himself as the team’s back-up catcher of the present and the future. 

Bloss is the only member of the original haul still with the Blue Jays as the organization’s number eight-ranked prospect. He missed most of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in May, but returned to the mound for a rehab start on Sunday in Dunedin. 

While Bloss will undoubtedly need plenty of time to build himself back up following such a lengthy layoff, it wouldn’t be shocking to see him with the Blue Jays at some point in 2026, given all the team’s pitching injuries. He already has some MLB experience under his belt, having made three starts with the Astros in 2024 before being dealt.

The Kikuchi trade is nonetheless a slam-dunk win for the Blue Jays, regardless of what happens with Bloss. Sánchez has emerged as a key lineup piece on a team with contending aspirations, while Valenzuela has proven himself to be a starting-calibre catcher. Bloss emerging as a major league pitcher would be icing on the cake.

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