The Toronto Blue Jays have spent the majority of this offseason trying to extend their generational first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but it doesn't look like the two sides are going to come to an agreement on a deal before the deadline tomorrow morning.
This leads many to believe Toronto may look to explore the idea of trading him. While they're unlikely to aggressively shop the star infielder, they could field offers and test the market. When you have a generational talent like Guerrero, you will likely receive some gaudy trade offers if teams know he's available.
One of the teams who would likely throw an offer the Blue Jays way is the Milwaukee Brewers. Milwaukee has sat atop the National League Central for a few years now, but the Chicago Cubs have seemingly turned the tide heading into 2025. The Brewers could ruin all of the Cubs' hard work in one move by bringing in Guerrero.
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This Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trade could destroy all of the Cubs' hard work in one move
The caveat here is that Milwaukee would be highly unlikely to re-sign Guerrero Jr. at the end of the season, so it would almost certainly be a one-year rental for the squad. Either way, it's a potential move for them to make.
This deal would be made on the back of Brewers young first baseman Tyler Black. Black, 24, is a former top prospect, but he slashed a measly .204/.316/.245 in a short big league stint during the 2024 season. He's much better than these numbers indicate as he slashed .272/.402/.453 in 315 career minor league games.
Jesus Made is one of MLB Pipeline's top 100 prospects heading into the 2025 season. Made, 17, slashed a ridiculous .331/.458/.554 with six home runs, six triples, and nine doubles in 51 games of rookie ball last year. He has some incredible raw tools.
Wilken, 22, has incredible power and a tremendous arm. He struggled a bit last season, but there are typically growing pains with young prospects. Once he finds his stride in pro ball, he's going to be very good.
Knoth, 19, made 21 starts at the Low-A level last season. He showed tremendous ability to generation swings and misses, but he also had an issue with walks. If he can lower the walk rate as he matures, he's going to be a great pitching prospect.
It's unclear if the Brewers would want to part ways with this much young talent for a surefire rental piece. It's also unclear if the Blue Jays would be willing to move Guerrero in a deal like this. Either way, it's an intriguing idea to consider.