Royals Projected To Join Trade Deadline 'Battle' For Blue Jays $28.5M Superstar
The Kansas City Royals are on a mission to prove they aren't a one-man army in 2025.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the very best players in Major League Baseball at any position, and he carried the Royals to the playoffs in 2025. However, when Witt went cold for a couple of games in the playoffs, the world saw how futile the rest of Kansas City's offense can be.
If the Royals want to change their fortunes and make a serious run at the World Series in 2025, there's only one player who could realistically be on the trade market whose offensive prowess can rival Witt's.
That player is Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will be a free agent at the end of the season. Guerrero and Toronto couldn't work out an extension before the star's self-imposed deadline this week, so there's a decent chance he could be traded if the Blue Jays fall out of the playoff chase.
On Wednesday, Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer listed the Royals among seven teams who could realistically be "battling" to trade for Guerrero at the 2025 trade deadline.
"As far as hope for better support (for Witt) in 2025 goes, there's really only newcomer Jonathan India and a hopefully healthier version of Pasquantino," Rymer wrote. "These two also happen to be Kansas City's DH and first baseman, respectively, but it need not be that way all season. "
"It therefore doesn't take a special set of eyes to see how Guerrero would fit with the Royals. And while adding him would require a notable raise in payroll, owner John Sherman has been in a spending mood of late."
Guerrero, 25, finished sixth in American League Most Valuable Player voting last season (Witt was second). He also finished second to Witt in the batting title hunt and his .940 OPS was the sixth-best in all of MLB. This season, he's making $28.5 million in arbitration.
With Guerrero batting behind Witt, the Royals would be far scarier to face during next season's playoff chase. But assuming he's even available, Kansas City will have to get comfortable decimating their farm system for a true rental.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org