Blue Jays not expected to trade these five key players this year

The Toronto Blue Jays might still have a few months left in their season, but all eyes are on next week’s trade deadline.

With a record of 45-55, while sitting in last place in the American League East, Toronto’s offseason hopes of contending for the World Series this year seem like they’re all but lost.

But fans hoping for a full teardown of the organization probably shouldn’t be getting their hopes up.

ESPN’s Buster Olney reported earlier in the week that the Jays “have signalled to other teams that they intend to try to win in 2025 rather than to go through a full rebuild.”

And while both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette have found themselves in trade rumours since last offseason, the organization appears to be interested in keeping the pair of stars.

According to an article today from Sportsnet’s Ben Nicholson-Smith, the Blue Jays are holding a few of the franchise’s most well-known players close to their chest.

“Since the Blue Jays plan to keep the door open on contending in 2025, prying away the likes of Kevin Gausman, Chris Bassitt, Jose Berrios and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be extremely difficult. Rival teams can still try, of course. It’s not like Ross Atkins is about to hang up on a fellow GM midway through a trade offer,” Nicholson-Smith wrote.

“According to sources, though, the Blue Jays aren’t shopping those players or the injured Bo Bichette. If buyers want to acquire someone like Guerrero Jr., they’d have to bowl the Blue Jays over. The safe guess is that doesn’t happen.”

The Blue Jays continue their series tonight against Tampa Bay at the Rogers Centre at 7:07 pm ET.

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