Horrific Vladimir Guerrero Jr. stat sums up Blue Jays’ trade deadline problem originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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The Toronto Blue Jays are probably going to end up buying before the MLB trade deadline.
The American League is weak, and coming off a season in which they played until Game 7 of the World Series, the Blue Jays likely don’t want to intentionally step backward now.
There’s plenty of issue with that approach, of course, but the biggest problem is one that no one would’ve expected: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Supposed to be their best hitter, Vladdy has instead been not much more than a singles hitter this season.
The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal shared a shocking stat in a new article on Friday: Guerrero hasn’t hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season.
That’s where the Blue Jays play their home games.
Vladdy is homer-less at home.
How is that even possible?
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It somehow is, and that’s the dilemma. The Blue Jays aren’t trying to decide to buy or sell with their roster playing at its best. The lineup has failed to pack a punch for most of the season.
“The ineptitude of the Jays’ offense is stunning to anyone who watched them rampage through the 2025 postseason,” Rosenthal writes. “Their run production is the fourth-worst in the majors… The Jays want to buy, but will prepare to go either way, according to a person briefed on their thinking. It won’t necessarily be easy for them to ignite. Coming out of the break, they will play back-to-back series at home against two first-place teams, the White Sox and Rays.”
A slow start out of the break could doom the Blue Jays, and maybe it would change their deadline plans.
But really, they need to find Vladdy’s bat this summer. If that doesn’t show up, nothing else they do will matter.
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