Why the Blue Jays could be sellers at the trade deadline

Spring Training has arrived for the Toronto Blue Jays, and the organization is under heavy fire for not extending Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will is now set to become a free agent at the end of the season.

The frustration from fans is palpable, as Guerrero not only helped put the Blue Jays back on the map, but he's also the most important player on the roster.

And while most of that frustration is directed toward the short-term impact of not extending Guerrero, the lack of an extension could end up causing some bigger issues in the near future, especially when it comes to the idea of a rebuild.

Lack of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension means the Blue Jays could be sellers this year

But the buck doesn't stop with Gurerrero. While he's the biggest storyline with the Blue Jays, Toronto has some other players on the roster who could become trade pieces in the near-future. If the Blue Jays struggle this year, Toronto's front office could elect to gut the roster of major league talent, thus making it difficult for the Blue Jays to build a strong team.

Here's a look at six players could end up being trade bait sooner rather than later.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero will become a free agent after this season, so his future in Toronto is uncertain.

Guerrero is one of the best hitters in baseball and will draw interest from almost every team if he hits the trade market. While Toronto would be able to get a big haul for Guerrero in return for a trade, keeping him is more important.

Bo Bichette

Bichette and Guerrero's call-ups in 2019 helped lead the Blue Jays to this new era of contention. And six years later, they could both be out the door.

Bichette's racked up two All-Star Game appearances and led the American League in hits twice during his time in Toronto, though he did struggle last year after getting injured. However, Bichette has one thing in common with Guerrero that also makes him a valuable trade chip: he'll be a free agent at the end of the season.

Any team would love to add Bichette, as he's a solid hitter who can slot in anywhere at the top of a lineup while also providing solid defense at shortstop. At just 26, he'll have plenty of suitors on the open market.

George Springer

Once one of the top outfielders in MLB, Springer hasn't been the same player since he left the Astros and joined the Blue Jays in 2021. He's failed to hit more than 25 home runs in a season with the Blue Jays, and is coming off a season where he had an OPS+ of under 100. However, Springer is still in line to be trade bait.

At 35 years old, Springer is still able to provide some speed and power at the top of the lineup, even if he struggled in the leadoff spot last season. Springer is a professional at-bat even when he's struggling, so most teams would likely feel comfortable putting up near the top of the lineup.

The biggest thing that will dictate Springer's trade market is his contract. He still has two years remaining on the six-year, $160 million contract he signed with Toronto (the biggest contract in team history), which could put some teams off from trading from him.

While some teams would like having him under contract for more than one season, his trade return will be dictated by how much money the Blue Jays would be willing to eat on his contract. That said, Springer is a veteran leader with postseason experience (.268 postseason batting average with a World Series MVP), which are two things that teams covet.

Chad Green

After pitching in just 12 games in 2023, Green was a huge success for the Blue Jays in 2024, as he had a 3.21 ERA in 53 games. That said, he's 33 and in the last year of his contract, so he'd be an obvious piece for Toronto to consider unloading if they do decide to sell (or even retool) at the deadline.

Green has been a quality pitcher out of the bullpen for years as evidenced by his career 3.23 ERA across nine seasons with the Yankees and Blue Jays. Green also got some work as a closer last year and set a career-high with 17 saves.

He's pitched in every role throughout his career, and would be a welcome addition to any contender's bullpen. There's always some team that's willing to overpay for bullpen help at the deadline, and Toronto would be wise to consider dealing Green this year.

Chris Bassitt

Like Green, Bassitt is an older pitcher on an expiring contract, so it's only natural for him to be on this list.

The 36-year-old has been hot and cold in his two seasons in Toronto. After winning 16 games and pitching 200 innings in 2023, Bassitt struggled in 2024. He finished the year with a 4.16 ERA (the highest full-season ERA in his career) with a 1.46 WHIP and ERA+ of 97.

He also finished the year in the 24th percentile in expected ERA and the 26th percentile in expected batting average.

But even with that down year, Bassitt still is an attractive trade piece. He'd be a No. 4 or 5 starter in every rotation in MLB, and is on the last year of his three-year contract. He was an All-Star in 2021, so it's clear that there's still something left in his arm, and he'd like have plenty of suitors if Toronto decided to dangle him in trade talks.

6. Kevin Gausman

Stop us if you've heard this before: the Blue Jays have a veteran pitcher they could dangle. This time, it's the 34-year-old Gausman, who has two years left on his contract.

Not having Gausman in the rotation would be a major blow to the Blue Jays. He's recorded 31 starts in each of his three seasons with Toronto, and has also finished each season with an ERA under four, which is one of the biggest reasons why the two-time All-Star could draw some interest from teams.

Gausman is the type of pitcher who gets the ball every fifth day with the intention of lasting as long as he can, and he, like Bassitt, would be a welcome addition in most rotations.

If Gausman puts together another solid season, the Blue Jays could get a solid return for him at the deadline.