Anonymous General Manager Believes Toronto Blue Jays Will Trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Toronto Blue Jays have made it clear they do not intend on trading away All-Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but one executive believes the team will reverse course when contract negotiations break down.

Sep 20, 2024; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) prepares for the start of the game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. / Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images

While the Toronto Blue Jays appear to be dead set on keeping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. around for the long haul, not everyone is confident that the slugger will be north of the border by the time next season gets underway.

Guerrero is currently the face of the Blue Jays, with the 25-year-old first baseman making a fourth consecutive All-Star appearance this summer. No one in Toronto's front office has spoken publicly about wanting to move off of Guerrero, even though he is slated to hit free agency after next season.

However, The Athletic's Jim Bowden spoke to one National League general manager who thinks the club will reverse when they realize they will not be able to sign Guerrero to a long-term extension.

This anonymous executive believes the Blue Jays will start getting calls for Guerrero once free agents Pete Alonso and Christian Walker sign elsewhere. Considering the Blue Jays' farm system is one of the lowest-rated in baseball, this general manager thinks they can be persuaded into accepting a "franchise-changing" offer.

Spotrac currently has Guerrero's market value at $260 million over 10 years. As of 2024, the largest contract in Blue Jays history belongs to George Springer, who is two-third of the way through his six-year, $150 million deal.

Based on his production over the past few years, Guerrero would seemingly be worth that massive price tag, but it remains to be seen if the Blue Jays are truly willing to pay it.

Guerrero hit .323 with 30 home runs, 103 RBI, a .940 OPS and a 6.2 WAR in 2024.

Since the start of the 2020 season, Guerrero has missed a total of 12 games. He is a .288 hitter for his career, averaging 32 home runs, 100 RBI and a 4.3 WAR per 162 games.

Guerrero is one of MLB's brightest young stars, which would make him an ideal trade target for any team looking to take the next step. The longer the Blue Jays wait on trading or extending Guerrero, though, the more his value could drop.

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