Doesn’t Sound Like Blue Jays Are Thinking About a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Trade
Because he has been a speculative (fun) name for the Chicago Cubs at times, and because the Toronto Blue Jays are in last place in the AL East, I can understand why fans have been talking about Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the internet. I still believe that bat will be even more extraordinary than it is currently (.295/.389/.419/137 wRC+ this season), he is under contract until 2025, and he has only just turned 25. I’d love to have that person on the Cubs if it was a fit.
But before we could even consider a trade price or speculate on how playing time would be distributed, the Blue Jays would have to make Guerrero available for trade, rather than simply extending their young star.
The same is true for shortstop Bo Bichette, in whom the Cubs were also reportedly interested in trading during the summer. Obviously, that would necessitate someone moving around the infield and really committing to a new position (most likely Bichette at third base), which may be problematic in a midseason deal. Bichette, 26, has similarly had a rough start to the season (.236/.284/.345/81 wRC+, which is mainly justified by advanced metrics), so he’s been a little more under my radar than Vladito.
Despite all of the hope-based rumors, it does not appear that the Blue Jays are ready to discuss Guerrero (or Bichette) trades.
“It just doesn’t make any sense for us,” Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins stated on MLB Network Radio. “There will be occasions when you’re speaking with other executives and they’ll ask if you’d consider it, and we’ll just reply we haven’t spent any time on it. Because they are so brilliant and such wonderful teammates, other teams will contact them.”
Regarding extensions, “Of course, we have dialogue with them, and that is something that will continue,” Atkins stated. We believe in them. We believe in their prospects and hope they will be able to play here for a long period.
You’ll notice that neither comment categorically rules out a trade this year or next, nor does it guarantee that there will be extensions. So, dreamers, continue to dream.
For the time being, I believe Atkins when he says that a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. move has not been seriously considered, owing in large part to the fact that this has been a competitive club throughout his tenure. They’ve never been forced by circumstance to seriously assess whether a Guerrero trade may actually make sense.
So, while I believe Atkins is telling the truth right now, this could alter by July. What if they cratered from here? What if it is evident that an extension will be impossible?
It’s unclear whether any of this will matter to the Cubs by that point.
The Blue Jays have won five of their previous seven games, and despite being bottom in the AL East, they are only 5.0 games out from a Wild Card slot. There is no need to seriously consider a sell-off unless the situation becomes more terrible.
