On Thursday night, the New York Yankees saw firsthand why they should consider trading for Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., before the deadline on July 30 at 6 p.m. ET.
Guerrero went 2-for-5 in a 9-2 victory over the Yankees and blasted a 371-foot home run off of a 93 mph pitch from Phil Bickford in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Despite the impressive win, the Blue Jays probably won’t make a run in the second half of the season. They’re last in the American League East, trailing the Baltimore Orioles by 13.5 games, and FanGraphs Baseball gives them a 4.6 percent chance to make the playoffs.
Guerrero is on a one-year, $19.9M deal but will be arbitration-eligible in 2025. During a Thursday appearance on CJCL-FM in Toronto, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins reiterated he wants to sign the 25-year-old slugger and shortstop Bo Bichette to multi-year deals instead of trading them.
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman reported both Guerrero and Bichette “never came close” to an agreement in previous contract negotiations. At this point, putting the stars on the block and entering rebuilding mode makes sense for the floundering Blue Jays.
Throughout his career, three-time All-Star Guerrero has insisted he would never wear Yankee pinstripes. Apparently, he’s softened this stance, as he recently told Virus Deportivo, “[I’d] be happy to help any team.”
The Blue Jays may not want to trade one of their best players to a divisional rival, but that shouldn’t stop the Yankees from trying to strike a deal.
New York’s lineup is much thinner after placing first baseman Anthony Rizzo (forearm) on the 60-day injured list and designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (hamstring strain) on the 10-day IL.
The Yankees (52-31) have lost four straight games and been outscored 33-12 during that span. Guerrero may be a one-year rental, but he could provide the help New York outfielders Juan Soto and Aaron Judge clearly need.