MLB Odds and Rumours: Yankees are the favoured trade destination for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Toronto Blue Jays have taken a serious step back this season. After making the playoffs three of the last four years, Toronto is dead last in the AL East and they sit 8.5 games back of the final Wild Card spot.
Stick a fork in the Jays because their season is done.
The only thing Toronto can do right now is look ahead to the future and that might mean moving a core piece like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Ahead of the July 30 trade deadline, here’s the top contender to land Guerrero.
New York Yankees (+300)
It was only a couple of years ago that Guerrero declared he would never play for the New York Yankees. Well, with Toronto’s season spiralling, Guerrero’s stance has softened and he was recently quoted as saying he would was a professional and he would help any team win.
Now that Guerrero has walked back his stance on the Yankees, New York makes a lot of sense as a trade destination. They’re only two games back of top spot in the AL East and they’re an organization that consistently goes big game hunting. Guerrero, Aaron Judge and Juan Soto is a scary trio to think about.
Seattle Mariners (+500)
The Seattle Mariners lead the AL West and they’re clearly in “win-now” mode. They should be big players at the trade deadline and bringing in Guerrero’s would fill a major hole. Seattle ranks near the bottom of the majors in home runs and RBIs and they are dead last in batting average.
From the Blue Jays perspective, you have to believe they would rather trade Guerrero outside of the division, so shipping him to the Mariners makes sense. Guerrero is a significant upgrade over Ty France at first base and Mitch Garver in the DH spot, so it’s a win-win for both sides.
Cleveland Guardians (+600)
Cleveland has the best record in the American League, but they could use some added pop in the lineup. The Guardians rank fifth in the majors in runs scored, but the majority of that production is coming from three players, Jose Ramirez, Steven Kwan and Josh Naylor.
The Guardians are a little less likely to land Guerrero because they have a more pressing need for starting pitching help, but there’s no question they’ll also target players who can help boost the offence.
Field
Other teams reportedly interested in Guerrero include the Giants (+700), Cubs (+800) and Twins (+900).
San Francisco seems like a long shot. They’re two games below .500 and the next couple of weeks could determine if they’re a playoff team or not. If the Giants make a move for Guerrero, it’s likely with an eye toward building long term.
Similar to San Francisco, if the Cubs make a move for Guerrero it’s not because they think they can win this season. The Cubs are last in the NL Central and at eight games below .500, they won’t be a playoff team this year.
Guerrero makes more sense in Minnesota. He would definitely be an upgrade over first baseman Carlos Santana, who isn’t hitting for power or average and struggles to get on base, and the Twins are solidly in a playoff spot with the second Wild Card spot.
