BALTIMORE — Around the league, some offensive difference-makers changed teams this week, including Isaac Paredes, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Randy Arozarena, Jorge Soler and Lane Thomas. Yet none of those players offer the franchise-changing ability of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who’s now hitting .311 with a .906 OPS and 3.6 bWAR.
At 25 years old and still more than a year away from free agency, Guerrero Jr.’s trade value would have been immense. Maybe not as high as Juan Soto’s value was a couple years ago, but the way Guerrero Jr. has been hitting — he homered in eight of the 12 games leading up to the deadline — that probably would have been the closest comp.
Yet whether in Toronto or around the league, whether on the record or off, there was never even a hint that the Blue Jays had interest in moving him. When asked if he ever came close to trading Guerrero Jr. or Bo Bichette at the deadline, GM Ross Atkins said they’re part of the team’s future.
“Not close,” Atkins said. “It was never our intention to trade either one of them.”
Meanwhile, Guerrero Jr. said he understands the front office traded away eight established players “for the good of the team.” Beyond that, though, he kept his comments simple when speaking to the media through interpreter Hector Lebron earlier this week.
“I can control what I can control,” he said. “If I’m hot, if I’m being consistent, I know I can help my team to win a lot of games.”
That much is clear, and he’s just entering his prime. Clearly, an extension keeping Guerrero Jr. in Toronto could benefit the Blue Jays, even if they’re not as competitive as they want to be heading into 2025. And based on everything Guerrero Jr. has ever said publicly, it’s a possibility he’s legitimately happy to explore.
The question, of course, becomes price — years and dollars — and the way Guerrero Jr. is playing, he’s pushing that number higher and higher. Whether there’s common ground to be found likely isn’t a question for the short term, as major extensions are very rarely completed in August and September. But, by next spring, this will likely be the biggest question facing the Blue Jays, and Guerrero Jr. will have a lot of leverage.
In the meantime, he’ll remain the Blue Jays’ biggest offensive threat while playing first and even a little third. The move to third initially occurred as a way to keep DH types such as Daniel Vogelbach and Justin Turner in the lineup more often, but even with those players off the roster, the Blue Jays plan to use Guerrero Jr. at the hot corner periodically.
Not only does that give the Blue Jays some options, Guerrero Jr. seems to embrace the challenge, too.
“I still want to see him there and he wants to play there some, too,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “It probably won’t change that much.”
The versatility helps the Blue Jays and if Guerrero Jr. does hit free agency in 15 months, it could help him, too.
SPEAKING OF EXTENSIONS …
The Blue Jays are believed to have offered Danny Jansen a multi-year extension before the season started, but clearly talks never got past the finish line. He was traded to the Red Sox ahead of the deadline.
Under team president Mark Shapiro and GM Ross Atkins, the Blue Jays have rarely extended players, with Randal Grichuk and Jose Berrios the only two players to sign contract extensions in Toronto during that period.
BLUE JAYS BLOODLINES
It’s almost a running joke at this point: if there’s a son of a prominent big leaguer developing in the minors somewhere, expect the Blue Jays to go get him. By acquiring Will Wagner, son of seven-time All-Star Billy Wagner, from Houston in the Yusei Kikuchi deal, the Blue Jays struck again.
A .307/.424/.429 hitter at triple-A, Wagner could soon join second-generation big-leaguers Guerrero Jr., Bichette and Daulton Varsho on a Blue Jays roster that also featured Cavan Biggio until recently.
“I think sooner than later he’s ready for that challenge,” Schneider said of Wagner.
All kidding aside, some baseball people believe it’s more than just good genes that allow these players to reach and succeed in the big leagues. They also get an up-close view at the work ethic, preparation and focus required to thrive at the highest level and that can benefit them as they develop.
RAPID FIRE
Yusei Kikuchi had far more trade value than Chris Bassitt because he’s cheaper with stuff that plays in October, whether it’s as a starter or even out of the bullpen. … The Blue Jays traded away one catcher, one designated hitter, one outfielder, one utility player, one starting pitcher and three relievers while getting back one veteran pitcher, two pitching prospects and 11 position-player prospects. … Adding pitching will, of course, be high on the Blue Jays’ priority list this off-season, and a second catcher looks like a must as well.