Dream Houston Astros Trade Target May Not Actually Be Available

The Houston Astros may need to kiss their dreams of adding this superstar at the MLB trade deadline goodbye.

May 26, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits during an at bat in the third inning of the game against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park. | Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros have been linked to one of the biggest names tossed around the trade market.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was an ideal player for the Astros to add, given the disappointment of Jose Abreu this season.

As it turns out, though, Guerrero may not actually be up for trade as the Blue Jays may avoid blowing it all up at the trade deadline.

In an appearance on MLB Network Radio, their general manager Ross Atkins denied the reports that Guerrero and fellow young star Bo Bichette were up for trade. He went as far as to say that he was "disappointed" that it even became a story.

"It just doesn't make any sense for us," said Atkins. "There will be occasional times when you're talking to other executives, when they'll ask if you'd consider it, and we just say it's not something that we have spent any time on. Because they are so talented and such great teammates, they are attractive to other teams, so [those teams] will call."

It doesn’t take much thinking to understand why Guerrero or Bichette would be such sought after players in trade talks, but also why Toronto would be hesitant to move on from them.

They have both been considered the game's future stars at one point, with Guerrero already being an All-Star three times at 25 years old. Bichette is a two-time All-Star and has finished 16th or better in AL MVP voting three consecutive seasons.

Plus, it looks like these two might be turning things around.

After a slow start, Guerrero dominated May, slashing .357/.447/.917 in 25 games and has improved upon each of those numbers in his first two games of June. Similarly, Bichette had a bounce back month that was much closer to how he's performed during his career.

Both players become free agents in 2026, which means decision time is fast approaching, but the Blue Jays seem like they want both stars in their long term plans for the organization.

For the Astros, this comes as a disappointment.

They clearly went "all in" on trying to win another World Series title after handing Josh Hader a megadeal this winter and Abreu a lucrative contract the offseason before.

If they can't land Guerrero, and it sounds like they won't, that doesn't mean they still shouldn't be eyeing first baseman upgrades. The platoon of Abreu and Jon Singleton won't do the job if they plan on contending this year, and both certainly aren't long term answers for the position.