It’s June 6th and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has three home runs. The sample size is big enough now — this isn’t just a slow start to the season anymore. His lack of power is a problem, and the Toronto Blue Jays need him to figure it out if they want any chance of being World Series contenders again.
The game isn’t all about the long ball, and Vladdy’s .292 average and play at first base certainly provide a lot of value. But the Blue Jays aren’t paying him $500 million for just that — they’re paying him to hit the ball out of the park, drive in runs, and break games open.
He hasn’t done that nearly enough in the regular season since his big 2021 and 2022 campaigns, and while he was spectacular last postseason, that only makes the first 65 games of 2026 more frustrating, given that we know Guerrero Jr.’s full capabilities and upside.
Of course, it’s on him to start producing, and he’s the first one who deserves blame for the numbers he’s put up so far. That being said, it’s also shown an issue Toronto has: a lack of a true second star to help him offensively. Bo Bichette is gone, George Springer is going to be 37 in September, and the Anthony Santander signing has been a disaster. While players like Ernie Clement, Alejandro Kirk (who they desperately miss), Nathan Lukes, and Daulton Varsho among others are key pieces to the puzzle, they aren’t the Robin to Vladdy’s Batman. And he needs that help, not only on the field but mentally, to take some of the heat and pressure off.
So Who Could the Blue Jays Target?
Forever it was Guerrero Jr. and Bichette — the two-headed monster that came up together and hit the ground running as faces of the franchise and superstars. But Bichette is a New York Met now, and they have yet to truly replace that void in the lineup. Kazuma Okamoto has brought some pop, but the Blue Jays need another aircraft carrier in the middle of the order. Let’s dive into some potential trade targets — realistic, risky, dream scenarios, and everything in between.
Would the Houston Astros actually consider trading Yordan Alvarez? That’s hard to know, but if he ever becomes available, it’s hard to imagine a better wingman for Guerrero Jr. A 6-foot-4, 237-pound left-handed slugger who does it every way you want at the plate, he would be an absolute dream acquisition for the Blue Jays, and the type of player that should leave no prospect or other asset off-limits.
Alvarez is admittedly more of a pipe dream, but there are some other realistic and enticing targets elsewhere. CJ Abrams has had a monster start to the year in Washington, but still may be on the move and would be well worth exploring a deal for. Not to mention, as good as James Wood is, trade rumors still seem to follow him from time to time, and man, would he be a fit in Toronto? The Detroit Tigers are a mess — why not take a stab at Kerry Carpenter or Riley Greene? And don’t forget about Ketel Marte, who has felt like a perfect Blue Jays target for years now.
None of these would be easy moves to pull off, but if you’re in the mode of pushing for a World Series in Guerrero Jr.’s prime, you have to be bold and possibly get uncomfortable to acquire what you want.
They of course could also look to some lower-cost (in trade terms), higher-risk (health, large contract) options that do bring the potential for high reward: Rafael Devers, Mike Trout, Corey Seager, Byron Buxton, and Jarren Duran are some that come to mind.
One final name that may not be an imminent move but is one to keep an eye on is Elly De La Cruz. We heard the report this winter that he declined a franchise record contract extension from the Cincinnati Reds, so that is a situation the Blue Jays — and many others — will and should be monitoring. At 24 years old as one of the more purely talented players in all of baseball, he would be a perfect addition to any team. As with Alvarez, nothing should be untouchable if De La Cruz were ever a real possibility.
The Blue Jays need more from Guerrero Jr., no matter what, but that doesn’t mean the lack of a true second star hitter isn’t impacting him at the same time. It’s going to be costly to find that, and it may not happen this year, but they at the very least need to be planting the seeds to land one in the near future.
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