The New York Yankees are off to a great start in 2024. They have still yet to see Gerrit Cole and DJ LeMahieu start a game. Despite that fact, they are 33-17 and will be looking to load up for a postseason run at the deadline.
The Yankees were listed as a landing spot for three-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. by Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer.
The Toronto Blue Jays are 21-26 with plenty of likely trade candidates. Guerrero finished second in the American League MVP voting in 2021. He has made the All-Star game in three consecutive seasons. His price in a trade will not be cheap.
“Let’s assume that, even if coughing up cash was part of the deal, Toronto wouldn’t part with its slugging first baseman without getting at least one top-100 type back,” wrote Rymer.
The Blue Jays could be open to moving Bo Bichette and Guerrero in order to build for the future.
“I don’t think they’re opposed to it,” an unnamed executive told MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand. “They’ve talked to teams about it. The asks were ridiculous, but I think they’re going to try to retool a lot, and using those guys to get pieces may be the way to do it.”
Yankees’ First Base Situation
The Yankees current first baseman is Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo himself is a three-time All-Star. He has also won a Silver Slugger, four Gold Glove Awards and a Platinum Glove. However, the Yankees could be open to moving on from him in the offseason, according to The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty. He even mentioned the possibility of DJ LeMahieu becoming the team’s first baseman next year.
“He’ll play next season at age 35 — a year younger than LeMahieu. But everything this offseason needs to be seen through the lens of Soto. If the Yankees think saving money at first base and shifting it to Soto is a bigger priority, then all bets are off,” wrote Kuty.
Last season, Rizzo hit just .244 after dealing with an injury for most of the season. In 2023, Rizzo was diagnosed with “post-concussion syndrome, which the club believes stems from a May 28 collision with the Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr.,” according to MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch in an August 3 story.
This season Rizzo started slow, slashing just .227/.306/.284 with one home run in his first 23 games. However, he is swinging the bat better as of late. In his last 30 games, he is slashing .268/.328/.455.
“Rizzo has been running hot and cold all year, so it’s possible to squint and see Guerrero in pinstripes if Rizzo just plain goes cold. But even then, dealing with an AL East rival presumably wouldn’t be Toronto’s ideal scenario,” wrote Rymer.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Would Not be Cheap
Guerrero won his arbitration hearing before the 2024 season. His $19.9 million salary was the highest awarded in a case decided by a hearing in history. Financially, Guerrero will not be a cheaper option than Rizzo. However, he is still arbitration-eligible and will not be a free agent until 2026.
Guerrero has a .286 batting average, but his home runs have decreased over the last three seasons. He has just a .775 OPS in 2024. However, he could still turn that around and get back to the player he was.
“It’s also not difficult to imagine a team overpaying for Guerrero. His swing is still dangerous, whether you’re looking at his 99th-percentile hard-hit rate or his raw bat speed. His flaw is how often he fails to square up pitches, but perhaps the right hitting coach could fix that,” wrote Rymer.
The Yankees’ priority in the offseason will be keeping Juan Soto in the Bronx. However, if Rizzo isn’t producing enough then the Yankees could make a trade for a player like Guerrero. They could trade Guerrero in the winter if they do not want to pay him because it may interfere with their plans to keep Soto.
