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Though general manager Ross Atkins said he isn’t ready to give up on this version of the Toronto Blue Jays, it appears the front office has at least considered what a blow-up might look like.
In an article from MLB.com on Sunday evening, insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Blue Jays have spoken to other teams about trades involving Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
“I don’t think they’re opposed to it,” an anonymous executive for an American League East team told 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.”
The Blue Jays have a 21-25 record following a commanding win over the Chicago White Sox on Monday. However, the team’s slow start to the season coupled with back-to-back post-season letdowns has prompted questions about whether it’s time to move in a different direction. Beyond Bichette and Guerrero, the Blue Jays have multiple key players eligible to hit free agency in the next couple of years, including Danny Jansen, Jordan Romano, and Yusei Kikuchi.
When Atkins addressed the media on Saturday, he said that the front office believes in the talent on the roster but also that they’re prepared for any pivot that the team might have to make.
How the Blue Jays perform during their upcoming stretch against weak opponents could go a long way in deciding whether the team buys or sells ahead of this summer’s trade deadline. Though they’re well behind in the AL East, the Blue Jays are only two-and-a-half games out of a Wild Card spot, and playing 16 of their next 20 games against the White Sox, Tigers, Pirates, and Athletics should help the team climb up the standings.
If the Blue Jays are going to trade one or both of their young stars, this summer would seemingly be the time to do it. Both Bo and Vlad still have a year and a half of team control left and would net a higher return than they would as rentals next summer. That said, doing so would also signal to the fanbase that the team is moving into yet another rebuilding stage, which would be a tough pill to swallow given this competitive window hasn’t lived up to expectations.
