The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly going to be big buyers this winter. Toronto did everything in its power to salvage some hope after a disastrous 2024 campaign. Rather than blowing up the roster, Toronto dealt all of its expiring contracts but kept everybody signed from 2025 and beyond.
The Blue Jays were set up perfectly to reload their roster during the offseason rather than entering a full-scale rebuild.
First step to the offseason? Extend superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
But what happens if Toronto can’t get an extension done?
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden has an idea. He reported there are murmurs of a possibility Guerrero is dealt under specific circumstances.
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“The Blue Jays have given no indication they’re going to trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason, but one National League general manager told me he believes they’ll change their mind when they realize they have little chance of extending him; after free-agent first basemen Pete Alonso and Christian Walker sign, this GM thinks the Blue Jays will be enticed by the franchise-changing trade offers they could receive for Guerrero because their farm system needs an infusion of prospects,” Bowden wrote.
Basically, under specific circumstances, Guerrero could be dealt. If the Blue Jays can’t agree on an extension and they receive a franchise-changing trade offer with multiple top prospects alongside big league ready players, then they might consider dealing Guerrero.
Yes, if this were to happen, Toronto would be forced to look at the trade offers on the table. But that’s not the way that this franchise is headed. Toronto is looking to sign Juan Soto and other top free agents. The Blue Jays want to add superstars to their major league roster, not subtract them.
Sure, the odds of him being traded aren’t zero. But they’re as close to zero as you can get without actually being there. Something drastic would need to change for Guerrero to be dealt.
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