The Toronto Blue Jays are very unlikely to come to terms on a contract extension with superstar infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ahead of the Feb. 18 deadline.
With that in mind, the Blue Jays may end up exploring the idea of trading their generational star before he leaves in free agency next offseason. Toronto has continuously fallen short of the top free agents which could continue with Guerrero in 2026.
One team who may want to go all in on a blockbuster deal to acquire the generational superstar is the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers were one win away from a berth in the ALCS after selling at the trade deadline.
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This Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trade could help send the Tigers back to the postseason
Detroit has a loaded farm system as well as a talented young core in the big leagues. They struggled on offense in 2024, but Guerrero could be quite the addition to turn those offensive struggles around.
A deal for Guerrero would need to be loaded with a ridiculous amount of talent. This is exactly the kind of deal that could cause the Blue Jays to explore the idea of dealing their generational star.
Keith, 23, slashed .260/.309/.380 in his first season in the big leagues. He showed tremendous talent and promise, but it's the price the Tigers would need to pay to acquire a 26-year-old MVP Candidate. Keith looks to be a future All-Star if he continues trending in the right direction.
Kevin McGonigle, 20, finds himself in MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects entering 2025. He's crushed minor league pitching in his first two professional seasons, posting a slash line of .310/.412/.443. It wouldn't be shocking to see him continue to fly up the minor league ladder in 2025.
Hao-Yu Lee, 22, is a solid hitting prospect with a very good hit tool. He's slashing .288/.372/.452 in his minor league career as he's proved that he can hit at each stop of the minor leagues.
Troy Melton, 24, has multiple plus offerings. He has all the makings of a solid pitching prospect. Across nearly 200 minor league innings, the righty has an ERA below 4.00 despite a down year in 2024.
Even with such a loaded return, the Blue Jays may not be willing to move Guerrero, but there's still a chance the Tigers can get a deal done. If Toronto accepts its fate as losing Guerrero at the end of the 2025 season, it wouldn't be the most shocking move to see them accept a trade similar to the one pitched above.