Yusei Kikuchi is gone, but John Schneider is still benefiting from the trade that helped reshape the Blue Jays.
That is the point of MLB.com's latest look back at the deal. Toronto did not just flip a pending free agent in July 2024. It built one of its better recent trade trees from a lost season.
The original trade sent Kikuchi to Houston on July 29, 2024. The Blue Jays got Jake Bloss, Joey Loperfido, and Will Wagner in return.
At the time, Bloss was the headline piece. He arrived as a top Houston prospect, and even after Tommy John surgery delayed him, MLB.com reported that his recent rehab work has been encouraging.
In his fifth rehab start last week for Single-A Dunedin, Bloss threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings. MLB.com said his fastball sat at 96.3 mph and touched 97, which is firmer than where he was before surgery.
That matters because Toronto still needs controllable pitching depth. If Bloss turns into a useful bulk arm or more, the trade takes on another level.
But the deal really got louder through the follow-up moves. Toronto later flipped Will Wagner to San Diego on July 31, 2025, and got catcher Brandon Valenzuela back.
Toronto turned one rental into multiple useful pieces
That swap already looks sharp. MLB.com framed Valenzuela as a possible long-term backup to Alejandro Kirk, and on a team that keeps searching for roster value, that is a big win from a depth deal.
Then came the other branch. On February 13, 2026, the Blue Jays traded Joey Loperfido back to Houston and landed Jesús Sánchez.
That is where the trade tree started helping the big-league lineup right now. Sánchez entered Wednesday batting .296 with 7 home runs and an .805 OPS, giving Toronto needed thump against right-handed pitching.
For a club that had to salvage something from a 74-88 season in 2024, this is exactly the kind of front-office work that matters. MLB.com noted that Toronto targeted mature prospects instead of long-shot lottery tickets, and the return already shows why.
The final scoreboard is simple. Toronto traded Yusei Kikuchi and, through later moves, turned that asset into Jake Bloss, Brandon Valenzuela, and Jesús Sánchez. Two are already helping in 2026, and the third may not be far behind.
That is why this trade still matters. Kikuchi gave the Blue Jays innings when they needed them, but the front office squeezed much more out of his exit than one deadline return. It built pieces that still touch Schneider's roster now.
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