Blue Jays' stunning roster move shows just how well things are going for Toronto

The Toronto Blue Jays have a team of destiny feel to them. They won again on Friday, coming back to defeat the Texas Rangers, giving them their seventh victory in their last 10 contests. At 72-51, the Jays have a 5.0 game lead in the AL East and hold the best record in the American League as a whole. Oh yeah, they're getting George Springer back from the concussion IL, too, for Saturday's game. In order to make room for Springer on the active roster, the Jays had to send someone down. The roster casualty turned out to be Joey Loperfido in what can be described as a somewhat shocking, yet sensible move.

This move goes to show that life isn't always fair. Loperfido struggled to make much of an impression in Toronto after the Jays acquired him at last year's deadline, but in the 30 games he's been able to play in the majors this season, he's done nothing but perform. The 26-year-old has slashed .358/.409/.506 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 89 plate appearances. He's done nothing but rake since being promoted in early July.

Loperfido didn't deserve to get sent down, but ultimately, the Jays didn't have much of a choice.

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Blue Jays had no room for Joey Loperfido following George Springer's activation

Springer is back, and probably won't even play the field all that much because of how loaded Toronto's outfield is. Daulton Varsho might not hit many singles, but he has 12 home runs in just 35 games this season and has played a Gold Glove-caliber center field, he'll be in that spot every day. The corner outfield spots are both manned by platoons.

Addison Barger has taken the league by storm this season, and plays right field against right-handed pitchers. Nathan Lukes is as underrated as they come, but he's established himself as Toronto's leadoff hitter against righties. Loperfido, as a left-handed hitter who performs far better against righties than lefties, wouldn't have a path to playing time over Barger or Lukes.

At the end of the day, the Jays can't have 27 players on their active roster, no matter how much they'd like to. Someone had to go down, and Loperfido, as a player who wouldn't have much of a role who also has options, made sense as the roster casualty.

Blue Jays will soon recall Joey Loperfido to the majors

While it stings for Loperfido and Jays fans who want to see him in the majors to watch him get sent down, there's reason to believe that the outfielder will be back in September when rosters expand to 28 players. One of the extra roster spots will go to a pitcher, but the other will go to a position player. Loperfido can, and presumably will, be that guy.

With the expanded rosters in mind, Toronto choosing to hold onto a guy like Myles Straw who is out of options and sending down Loperfido instead made sense. Straw can provide value as a pinch runner and defensive replacement, and could've easily been claimed off waivers. This move ensures the Jays will contain their depth, which is crucial.

Loperfido will be back by September, if not sooner. It's never fun to watch a team send down a guy performing as well as he has, but again, there was no room for him with the roster as constructed. Sending down a guy with a .950+ OPS in a decent sample and having that be the right move for a team in contention is the kind of move not many, if any, other contenders can conceivably make.