This Vlad Guerrero-Yankees trade would rebuild the Blue Jays and beef up the Bombers

After a hard-fought offseason, the Blue Jays have come up empty. Toronto finished last in the AL East in 2024 with a rough 74-88 record. After two of their top free agent targets Juan Soto and Corbin Burnes signed elsewhere, Toronto’s roster has not changed drastically.

To add to their offseason woes, extension discussions with their hometown superstar, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., have reached a standstill. Vladdy is entering his walk year and has set an extension deadline for the first full day of Spring Training. Without either an extension or a winning team around him, keeping Vladdy no longer makes sense.

Meanwhile, Toronto's AL East rival, the New York Yankees are looking for another infielder. After losing Juan Soto, their offensive firepower has greatly diminished. The Yanks hope that their new pair of bats in Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt can compensate by replacing Soto’s vast array of hitting talents with lineup depth, but filling Soto’s place in the lineup is easier said than done. Luckily, there might be a solution.

Imagine Vlad Guerrero Jr. in pinstripes. If you are a Yankee fan, you probably already did that at the trade deadline — and about four times since. Sadly, Vladdy has some reservations about the Yankees, muddying the possibility that he'd want to join the team. Nevertheless, judging by GM Brian Cashman’s signing of Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal, it seems like the Yankees are planning to offer Vladdy a deal in free agency. If the Yankees were to make that dream a brilliant reality before then, Vladdy would likely be shifted to third base. While he may not have experience in the hot corner, his potent bat makes up for the lack of defensive agility. Last season, Vladdy slashed .323/.396/.544/.940 with 30 home runs proving he is still the elite hitter we thought he was in 2021. So, what would a Yankee package for Vladdy look like with only one-year until free agency?

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Trading Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the Yankees

Acquiring Vladdy will take some top talent. Needless to say, there are players the Yankees are reluctant to part with. However, with the outfield and rotation already bursting with good options, it would make sense for these three to find new homes in 2025.

First and foremost in this deal is Spencer Jones. The 6-foot-6 centerfielder has shown remarkable potential as a power hitter and baserunner. His raw power is seen as prolific, but making enough contact to showcase that power has been the issue. This past season, he broke the Yankees’ minor league strikeout record. On the plus side, his speed has enabled him to accumulate stolen bases at a healthy rate and play centerfield quite well. If he can make more contact, the potential for stardom is there.

Following him to Toronto would be right-handed pitcher Will Warren. Warren has flashed a brilliant pitch mix boasting several plus pitches, but his command is spotty, resulting in some bad numbers last season, though he had success in the minors in previous years. Warren made his MLB debut in 2024. It wasn't a stellar start, but along with Jones, he remains a prospect the Yankees have shown a strong willingness to keep.

Last but not least is Everson Pereira. Pereira has performed exceptionally well in the minors — though his stint in the MLB did not go so well in 2023. His 2024 AAA campaign did not live up to usual standards due to an elbow injury he played through, and later required season-ending surgery. He carries a plus bat with serious power potential and has plus speed. In the outfield, he's comfortable bouncing around to all three spots.

It's an unlikely scenario that the Yankees make a run Guerrero Jr. to play third with a year left on his contract, and it is also unlikely they would part with these three prospects which would be required by the Jays in any trade discussion for him. However, the Yankees have a log jam of players and trading for Vladdy would ramp the offense up considerably. For Toronto, the upside in these three prospects could make the roster a whole lot more promising in the near future. For one year of Guerrero, this would be a win-win for both clubs.