Inside The Cubs

Chicago Cubs 'Can't Be Counted Out' In Pursuit of Toronto Blue Jays Star

The Chicago Cubs should not be "counted out" in trade talks for the Toronto Blue Jays superstar.

Dylan Sanders

Sep 25, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a double against the Boston Red Sox in the fourth inning at Rogers Centre.
Sep 25, 2024; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits a double against the Boston Red Sox in the fourth inning at Rogers Centre. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
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The Chicago Cubs have already taken some massive swings in the past few months, but could they be in on yet another superstar?

It became clear that Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would be heading towards free agency following the 2025 season when he and the team didn't work out a contract extension.

Matt Snyder of CBS Sports created a ranking of every MLB team in terms of their likeliness to land the star in free agency.

The Cubs were shockingly somewhat high on the list.

Chicago was the ninth-ranked team, sitting in the "Can't count them out, but ..." category that was just one spot away from being labeled as "contenders."

This means they won't be favorites to land him, but they could be surprise suitors.

The scenario in which Snyder sees the Cubs having the best shot is if the team fails to sign Kyle Tucker to an extension and Michael Busch takes a step back at first base.

It is unlikely that Chicago takes the initiative to trade for Guerrero this year, given that they already sent a valuable haul to the Houston Astros for a rental of Tucker. Doing the same for another player that is almost certain to hit free agency would be a massive risk.

That is especially true since first base is not yet a need for them.

Busch, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers last January, was a surprisingly effective slugger in his first full season.

The 26-year-old posted a .248/.335/.440 slash line with 21 home runs and 65 RBI. In the current state of the roster, that should be plenty of production to win games.

He was also fairly consistent throughout the year with only small slumps throughout.

There is also the chance Jed Hoyer gets desperate if Tucker leaves and they decide to go all out to land Guerrero. There are far worse players to pursue and build around.

He slashed .323/.396/.544 last year with 30 home runs and 103 RBI.

For most people, that would be a career performance.

For Guerrero, it was his second-best season.

The ceiling with the Blue Jays superstar is high enough to where a team cannot pass up an opportunity to add him, no matter what their current situation is.

His free agency will be one of the most intriguing storylines in baseball over the next year.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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