A surprise National League team has reportedly talked about trading for Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The 25-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is only signed through the 2025 season. The Blue Jays are two games out of the final wild card spot in the American League, so GM Ross Atkins may decide to sell if the team doesn’t improve between now and the July 30 trade deadline.
If the two sides can’t agree on a long-term extension, Toronto will likely end up trading Guerrero Jr. before his contract expires. And according to a new report, the Chicago Cubs are a team to follow in the Guerrero Jr. trade rumor mill.
Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Cubs have internally had conversations about trading for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.:
“Rival executives believe that if the Toronto Blue Jays don’t turn it around, and are unable to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette to extensions, they will be open to moving them.
The Chicago Cubs have privately discussed the possibility of trying to acquire Guerrero at the trade deadline.”
The Cubs are sitting at 32-35 following Tuesday’s loss to the Tampa Bay Rays. But the race for the final two NL wild card spots is wide open, with the 31-35 Washington Nationals even within a couple of games of a playoff position.
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has turned it around following an awfully slow start, carrying a .282 batting average and an OPS of .781 with seven homers, 30 RBI and 36 walks through his first 67 games.
Blue Jays Should Keep Vladimir Guerrero Jr. This Year
The Toronto Blue Jays’ best bet, simply put, would be to keep the second-generation MLB star for the rest of the year.
If Guerrero gets anywhere close to that MVP-like form we saw in 2021, the Blue Jays will have gained significant ground in the playoff race. If his inconsistency at the plate continues, then Guerrero’s trade value will plummet, meaning Toronto won’t get a quality return.
Regardless of how Guerrero and his teammates perform down the stretch, it just feels like Toronto’s best bet is to keep him for the rest of the year. They can then spend the offseason deciding on a) a long-term extension or b) a trade that would net a much better return compared to a mid-season deal.
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