Latest Vladimir Guerrero Jr. report is another indictment of Ross Atkins plan

The Toronto Blue Jays don't intend on trading away star players Bo Bichette or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this deadline season. In fact, most players locked up through the 2025 season will remain in Toronto past the deadline, if Ross Atkins is to be believed.

Of course, there is a critical problem with Atkins plan. What if those players leave the Blue Jays in 2025 anyway? If that's the case, Toronto is forfeiting a chance to get peak value in return for Bichette, Vladdy or any talented player set to hit free agency after the 2024 season.

“It just doesn’t make any sense for us,” Atkins said a month ago. “There will be occasional times when you’re talking to other executives, when they’ll ask if you’d consider it, and we just say it’s not something that we have spent any time on. Because they are so talented and such great teammates, they are attractive to other teams, so they will call.”

Ross Atkins plan is going to backfire miserably for Blue Jays

Being a member of any front office is all about risk assessment. Given Sunday's reporting by both Bob Nightengale (USA Today) and Keegan Matheson (MLB.com), Atkins decision-making is questionable at best.

Per Nightengale, Bichette in particular cannot wait to leave Toronto, and is hoping for a trade elsewhere. The only issue is that Bichette's value has plummeted over the last few months.

"Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette has told friends that he would welcome a trade, while first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. badly wants to stay in Toronto and is open to signing a long-term extension,"Nightengale reported.

While Guerrero Jr. wants to stay beyond this season, Matheson reported on Sunday that his expectation is, when the time comes, Vladdy will at least test free agency. Assuming the Blue Jays don't turn things around between now and then (a long time frame, to be fair), they'll be at a disadvantage to keep yet another homegrown star.

It shouldn't come as a major surprise that Atkins voted against selling Bichette and Guerrero Jr., especially with his own behind reportedly on the hot seat. Trading away that kind of top talent would almost assuredly shorten his leash, especially as the big-league team struggles. Nonetheless, his current plan to keep both players is perhaps even more flawed, and the Blue Jays will be left receiving little-to-nothing in return as a result.