With the July 30 MLB trade deadline looming, the Toronto Blue Jays need to make some decisions about their roster. With a 35-43 record, Toronto sits in last place in the American League East, and probably needs to commit to selling pieces off at the deadline – including star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
A few teams could be after the Jays first baseman – including the Chicago Cubs, Seattle Mariners, and New York Yankees.
After saying in the past that he'd never play for the Yankees, Guerrero Jr. is softening his stance.
Guerrero was asked Monday night if he'd reconsider past comments with the Blue Jays sitting in last place in the American League East.
“Sometimes one says things. It is not that I am trying to take back what I said about the Yankees,” Guerrero told Virus Deportivo on Monday. “But this is a business. I sat down and spoke with my dad [Vladimir Guerrero Sr.] and my family, and this is a business. And I said I would never again talk about this topic and lots of people have asked me about it.”
In 2022, Guerrero Jr. said he'd “never sign with the Yankees — not even dead.” In 2023, he told the New York Post that it was “a personal thing that goes back with my family. … I would never change that.”
The Yankees are searching for a fix at first base after Anthony Rizzo suffered a broken right forearm, He is expected to be out until August. In the meantime, New York acquired J.D. Davis in a trade with the Oakland Athletics, and they also called up Ben Rice from the minors.
After a slow start, Guerrero is hitting .286 with 10 home runs and 35 RBIs for the Blue Jays this season
Could Blue Jays players beside Vladimir Guerrero Jr. be on the move?
It's not just Guerrero Jr. that could be on his way to another team. The Blue Jays have other trade chips to potentially cash in this summer.
Bo Bichette could draw some interest from around the league despite his frigid performance thus far this season. Bichette is hitting .237 for the Blue Jays with just four home runs and a .629 OPS. His track record shows that this three-month stretch is likely an anomaly, and he's signed through next season so Bichette could provide some spark to a team that is willing to take a chance on him.
The Blue Jays could even look to move a starting pitcher like Chris Bassitt or Kevin Gausman, considering what a seller's market it is for pitching this summer.
Gausman hasn’t had an incredible season and his strikeout percentage is way down but his talent is undeniable. The 33-year-old righty would be a big boost to any starting rotation. With a 4.24 ERA and a 3.71 FIP, his numbers are still pretty solid and he's under contract through the 2026 campaign.
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