Rumored Houston Astros Star Trade Target Predicted To Be Dealt in Offseason

The Houston Astros would fix many of their biggest issues in the offseason if they landed the star.

Jul 25, 2023; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros general manager Dana Brown on the field before the game against the Texas Rangers at Minute Maid Park. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Houston Astros weren't the only team in Major League Baseball that didn't have the season they wanted. In fact, many other clubs around the league didn't perform at the level they were expected to.

Among those teams included the Toronto Blue Jays, who perhaps had the worst year out of any team with expectations around baseball. Entering the campaign, the hope was for the Blue Jays to be an above-average team. Instead, they fell on their face, and major changes could be coming because of that.

Their front office faces a ton of pressure this winter, as it's clear that they have some talent. If they surround those guys with the right players, Toronto is a team that could make a World Series run. They might be far away as currently constructed, but they aren't in the worst position.

However, if they start to play poorly again early on or they don't believe they could compete in the near future, there's a scenario where they could trade Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

It might not make the most sense considering the type of player he is, as one could argue that he's a franchise-level talent, but it's only a matter of time before he hits free agency, and there's a possibility that they'll lose him when the time comes. 

He was a sneaky trade target at the deadline but didn't get moved. Reports indicated that the Astros had an interest in him, and the idea of landing him now still makes perfect sense. 

As he heads into the offseason, Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac named him a trade candidate.

"The 25-year-old rounded back into form in 2024 (30 HRs, 103 RBIs, 6.17 WAR), putting him in the driver’s seat for a bigtime payday over the course of the next 15 months. Is he part of Toronto’s long-term plans? Are the Blue Jays willing to keep the gas pedal down in 2025? If either of those answers are no, shopping Vlad Jr. ahead of his final season of team control is a must."

The Blue Jays have been against trading the slugger in recent months, so that shouldn't change.

However, there's a scenario where they could look to move Guerrero. The only issue with a potential trade to Houston is that their farm system is arguably the worst in baseball. If Toronto were to put him on the market, they'd likely find a much better package than what the Astros could give.