3 ways the Blue Jays can maximize a trade of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

On Tuesday, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. announced that he and the Blue Jays had failed to come to an agreement on a contract extension, which all but confirms the soon-to-be 26-year-old superstar will hit free agency once the season's done.

Here are three different hypothetical trades for Guerrero that could help the Blue Jays maximize their return for the superstar.

3 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. trades that make sense

The path to rebuilding

Toronto Blue Jays receive: SS Jett Williams, OF Drew Gilbert, 1B Ryan Clifford, and SP Nolan McLean

New York Mets receive: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Mets have been publicly linked to almost every superstar in baseball since Steve Cohen took over as owner, so it should come as no surprise that Cohen spoke about Guerrero Tuesday afternoon.

Yes, the Mets resigned Pete Alonso to play first base and gave out a record contract to Juan Soto, but whose to say there isn't room on the roster for Guerrero at either DH or third base (or, if Alonso opts out of his contract, first base). While Guerrero would only be a rental on paper, Toronto would likely still be able to get some of New York's top-ranked prospects who appear to be blocked by cornerstone MLB players.

Williams is blocked by Francisco Lindor, Gilbert has to compete with Soto and Brandon Nimmo and Clifford is blocked by Alonso and potentially Guerrero. McLean is a 23-year-old right hander who ended last season as the No. 9 prospect in the Mets system, per MLB Pipeline.

The Mets wouldn't have to give up any MLB-ready talent in this trade, while the Blue Jays would get plenty of prospects in their early 20’s with high upside to help jumpstart a rebuild.

It may seem like a lot for the Mets to give up, but if Guerrero starts the season strong (he’s projected by FanGraphs to have 4.8 fWAR this season, the most among all first basemen in 2025), then they should be able to swing a deal similar to what the Nationals got when they traded Juan Soto to the Padres.  

The path to retooling

Toronto Blue Jays get: 1B/3B Michael Busch, 2B Matt Shaw and RHP Brandon Birdsell

Chicago Cubs receive: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Leo Jiménez

While PECOTA projects the Cubs to have an NL Central-leading 90.6 wins, they still need one more impact bat to truly contend in the stacked National League. This trade would have the Cubs and Blue Jays swapping first baseman while also allowing the Blue Jays to pick up some players who could help them as early as 2026.

Busch is a 27-year-old left-handed hitter that has shown flashes of power throughout his minor league career and hit 21 homers with the Cubs last year in his first full MLB season. Shaw is a 23-year-old third baseman who ended last season as the Cubs' No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline. He slashed .284/.379/.488 last year with 21 home runs. Birdsell is a 24-year-old right-handed pitcher, who is ranked as the No. 20 prospect in Chicago's system.

The mixed bag trade

Toronto Blue Jays receive: Michael Harris II, Dylan Dodd and Luke Waddell

Atlanta Braves receive: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

After making the postseason last year, the Braves' biggest addition this winter has been Jurickson Profar. But even with that quiet offseason, FanGraphs still has the Braves winning the NL East by a handful of games over the Philadelphia Phillies and Mets. However, Atlanta could find itself needing another impact bat for the stretch drive after they lost steam at the end of the season due to a variety of injuries.

This trade is a mixed bag because Harris isn't the type of player you acquire if you're planning on a rebuild. The 24-year-old former Rookie of the Year winner saw a slight dip in his production last season and with Profar, Jared Kelenic and eventually, a healthy Ronald Acuña Jr. all on the roster, Harris could be the odd man out, making him available at the deadline.

Dodd and Waddell are two lower ranked prospects, but they're both 26 and could have some tools the Blue Jays covet.