The New York Yankees made a bold trade for Juan Soto in hopes of securing a World Series title. With the trade deadline approaching, the Yankees are now favorited to swing another major deal.
If the Toronto Blue Jays trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr., New York has the highest odds (+300) to land him, via betonline.ag. The Seattle Mariners and (+500) and Cleveland Guardians (+600) make up the top three while the San Francisco Giants (+700) and Chicago Cubs (+800) round out the top five.
Toronto enters the weekend with a 37-43 record and sit 13.5 games behind the first-place Yankees in the AL East. The Blue Jays are 6.5 games out of the final Wild Card spot. While they have time to turn things around, the Blue Jays are trending further away from contender status and closer to being sellers.
If they do sell, Guerrero would be one of their most valuable trade assets. He is set to be a free agent in 2026, meaning any acquiring team would have an extra year of control. But any team who trades for Guerrero is mainly doing it for his power.
He has hit 141 home runs over his six years in MLB. That comes with a .280 batting average, 446 RBI and 20 steals. Guerrero is a three-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger. Over 80 games in 2024, the corner infielder is batting .289 with 11 home runs, 42 RBI and two steals.
If the Blue Jays continue to tumble, they may be forced to part with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. While it would be devastating to trade him to a division rival, New York may make an offer Toronto can't refuse.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr's fit with Yankees
The Yankees have climbed to the AL East mountain top in large part due to their offense. New York ranks second in runs scored (410) and home runs (119). Adding Guerrero to the mix would only give the team a more powerful offense.
If the current Toronto star was added to New York's current roster, he would rank third in batting average and fourth in both home run and RBI. Add Guerrero's RBI to the Yankees' total and they would lead the entire league in the category.
Outside of just pure offensive output, Guerrero's addition would come at a position of need for the Yankees. First baseman Anthony Rizzo is on the 60-day injured list with a fractured forearm. Rookie Ben Rice has gotten an opportunity, but he is hitting just .231 with an RBI.
With Juan Soto's looming free agency, it may not make sense to trade for Vladimir Guerrero with his contract up a year after. But the Yankees have proven they're willing to go all-in for a World Series. Adding a bat like Guerrero's to the lineup would give New York an only scarier offense.
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