MLB Rumors: Blake Snell floated, Pete Alonso trade likely, stubborn Blue Jays

The MLB trade deadline is one of the most exciting and hectic times in all of sports. The game’s biggest stars can see themselves traded, despite how well they’re playing, because of their team’s performance or their own contract.

There’s nothing else like it in sports. Players like Pete Alonso, Blake Snell and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are all being discussed at this year’s deadline. In recent memory, we’ve seen plenty of All-Stars, superstars and even Cy Young caliber players dealt before the deadline. This year will be no different, potentially even bigger and more exciting than the typical year.

A few weeks ago, rumors began to emerge that the Toronto Blue Jays could explore the idea of trading their young superstars Vladimir Guerrero Jr and Bo Bichette. At first, it didn’t seem like a reasonable option. These two are young, talented and under team control for another year and a half.

But as time has gone on and the Blue Jays have fallen into last place in the AL East, the rumors seem more and more likely.

But ESPN’s Jeff Passan ($) has reported that Toronto won’t make their intentions known with the two superstars until after the July 18 All-Star Break. That leaves about five weeks before teams will know if there is truly a chance to snag one of these two stars before the trade deadline. The Blue Jays are being stubborn with their biggest superstars, but can you really blame them?

If they do become available, these two would likely be two of the best players available on the market. We might not see a trade package of prospects bigger than what it would take to acquire Guerrero or Bichette. These two haven’t even entered their respective primes yet and they could be dealt before the deadline, sending Toronto into a full-on rebuild.

While Blake Snell is unlikely to be traded, Pete Alonso of the New York Mets is almost certainly going to be dealt before the 2024 trade deadline.

The Mets are bound to enter a fire sale in the coming weeks. It’s necessary given the state of their franchise. The 2024 and 2025 Mets could sell harder than many teams in the last 10 or 20 years, opening the door to a ton of new possibilities within their organization.

But this kind of rebuild starts by trading some of your valuable pieces, like Pete Alonso. And USA Today insider Bob Nightengale has reported that Alonso hasn’t been shopped by the Mets yet but will be soon.

Alonso is on an expiring deal, where he will likely be leaving New York in the offseason anyway. A prospect package for him would be a pretty hefty return, much more valuable than letting him walk in free agency.

The slugger is going to be a valuable power bat on the trade market this year. He has the chance to be one of, if not the most valuable bat on the market in the coming weeks, given his power numbers over the years. Alonso is heading towards another 40-homer season, which would mark his third consecutive year with at least 40 homers.

Blake Snell won the NL Cy Young last year and went into free agency with the hopes of securing a huge, long-term contract. After holding out for much of the offseason and missing Spring Training, Snell signed a two-year, $62 million deal with the San Francisco Giants.

But Snell isn’t playing like a $62 million player. In fact, he’s not even playing like a $62 player. Snell currently holds a 9.51 ERA in 23.2 innings, where he’s walked 14 hitters and allowed 32 hits. He’s seeing just how important Spring Training is for a player to work out the kinks and get themselves ready to play at their best.

For all these reasons, the contract and the performance, Snell is unlikely to be traded before this year’s deadline. His player option for 2025, worth just south of $40 million, is likely to be picked up and that is a huge commitment to take on for a player that’s worth negative WAR this season.

There really is no world where the Giants could find a trade partner to take on Snell’s contract, as of today. They would have much better luck waiting until next year’s deadline, giving the southpaw more time to bounce back to his Cy Young form.