Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get beaten by Sandy Alcantara for contender spot in 2025-26 MLB trade season

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Feb 25, 2025, 18:05 IST

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Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s rejected contract extension from the Blue Jays makes him a key player in the 2025-26 trade season. However, Phillies' Trevor Plouffe considers Sandy Alcantara a top contender due to his impressive achievements, including winning the 2022 Cy Young.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to get beaten by Sandy Alcantara for contender spot in 2025-26 MLB trade season

Image via: Mark Goldman/Getty Images

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has officially rejected the contract extension offer from the Toronto Blue Jays, turning him free agent in 2026. Ever since Guerrero Jr. made his decision not to stay with the Jays, fans have crowned him as the top contender for the 2025-26 trade season. However, the Philadelphia Phillies star Trevor Plouffe and Sandy Alcantara can beat Guerrero Jr.

Trevor Plouffe's take on Sandy Alcantara being a good competition to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

On Tuesday's episode of "Baseball Today" podcast, Trevor Plouffe shared his take on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s free agency drama. Plouffe claimed that Sandy Alcantara has the capabilities to become a more fan-favorite and top asset of the 2026 trade season. Expanding his take, Plouffe said:
"I think Sandy Alcantara will demand a bigger haul than trading for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. I think because we don't talk about the Miami Marlins enough, we forget about how good Sandy Alcantara is," said Rose. "He won the Cy Young in 2022 and he's not even 30 years old. That's filthy."
In the podcast episode, Trevor Plouffe was accompanied by his co-host Chris Rose, who agreed with the Phillies star. In context to the Miami Marlins lineup for this season, Rose highlighted how Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a less-favorite trade season contender than Sandy Alcantara and said:

"I looked at the team's lineup and it looks like a B-rated Spring Training game. It just looks rough. So I guess the question is, the minute he proves that he's healthy for a couple months, don't they have to ship him out of town?"
Ever since it has been clear that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn't staying with the Toronto Blue Jays, many teams have come out to be potential recruiters, including the New York Yankees. However, Guerrero Jr. recently revealed a personal reason for never joining the Yankees.
"When I was a child with my dad, and like all [players’] kids, I was in front of the dugout. Somebody from the Yankees told my dad, ‘You’ve got to take your kid [inside]. You can’t be on the field.’ I felt bad. And it stuck with me,” Guerrero Jr. said via NY Post.
Also Read: Will Vladimir Guerrero Jr. join Yankees? Jays star comes clean about future after New York

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