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The Chicago Cubs are positioned near the top of the National League Central. The Cubs are shaping up to add to their team at the deadline. Their biggest need may be their bullpen, but they could still add to their offense. The Cubs were listed as a landing spot for three-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. by Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer.
The Toronto Blue Jays are 21-26 with plenty of likely trade candidates. Guerrero, Bo Bichette, Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Turner are all likely candidates.
“Let’s assume that, even if coughing up cash was part of the deal, Toronto wouldn’t part with its slugging first baseman without getting at least one top-100 type back,” wrote Rymer.
Bichette and Guerrero are the biggest names to watch. The Blue Jays could be open to moving them in order to build for the future.
“I don’t think they’re opposed to it,” an unnamed executive told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. “They’ve talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they’re going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it.”
Guerrero Could Stabilize the Cubs Offense
“The Cubs absolutely have the prospect base to go after Guerrero, and he would stabilize the revolving door they’ve had at the DH spot. But relative to, say, upgrading the bullpen, bolstering the offense doesn’t necessarily need be a top priority for these Cubs.”
The Cubs have seven players on the MLB Top 100 prospects list. They could dip into their farm system in order to get a superstar like Guerrero.
The Cubs have started eight different players at the DH position. Guerreo could bring consistency to the position. Michael BusCh has served as the teams first baseman this season. Guerrero won a Gold Glove Award in 2022 at first base. He and Busch could split time at DH and first base.
Busch was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers in a trade before the season started.
Busch is slashing .242/.329/.450 this season with seven home runs. He has been a stable piece for the Cubs, and they would likely keep him in the lineup as much as possible.
Price for Guerrero
Guerrero had an arbitration hearing before the 2024 season. The Blue Jays offered him $18.05 million. His $19.9 million salary was the highest awarded in a case decided by a hearing in history. Guerrero will not be chaep for the Cubs financially. However, he is still arbitration-eligible and will not be a free agent until 2026.
Guerrero has a .286 batting average, but his home runs have decreased over the last three seasons. He has just a .775 OPS in 2024. However, he could still turn that around and get back to the player he was.
“It’s also not difficult to imagine a team overpaying for Guerrero. His swing is still dangerous, whether you’re looking at his 99th percentile hard-hit rate or his raw bat speed. His flaw is how often he fails to square up pitches, but perhaps the right hitting coach could fix that,” wrote Rymer.
The Cubs could trade Guerrero in the winter if they are not interested in keeping him long-term. However, he could still be a valuable piece if the Cubs are looking to make a World Series run in 2024.
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