Chicago Cubs can rule out a trade for this superstar slugger this winter

If the Chicago Cubs do nothing else this upcoming offseason, the one thing they absolutely have to accomplish is to acquire an impact hitter to put in the middle of their starting lineup.

It remains a 50/50 outlook for Cody Bellinger in terms of whether or not he will pick up his player option for the 2025 season but regardless of what Bellinger decides to do, the Cubs can not make the same mistake they made last offseason.

The Cubs had tunnel vision last offseason on bringing Bellinger and in doing so, they failed to improve an offense that was in need of an impact hitter.

That need has only been strengthened this season due to the inconsistent nature of the Cubs' starting lineup.

If the Cubs go another offseason without addressing that need, it will all but confirm that 2025 will be the final season of Jed Hoyer as the team's President of Baseball Operations. Where the Cubs will struggle in accomplishing that need is that it seems the team has already been priced out of the lone impact bat available this winter, Juan Soto.

Meaning, the Cubs will need to trade from their prospect depth to acquire that hitter.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Toronto Blue Jays has been a popular name on the trade market given he has one year left before reaching free agency and the Blue Jays are in the middle of a disappointing season.

Despite that fact, it seems that the Blue Jays do not have an intention to move Guerrero. Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports that the Blue Jays appear motivated to keep Guerrero as he enters his walk season with the goal of working out a new contract with the slugging first baseman.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. may not be an option for the Cubs.

This winter's free agent class is not the year for teams to be in need of an impact bat and the belief was that Guerrero would be a popular trade target. If Guerrero is indeed not available in trade talks this winter, the Cubs' path to acquiring an impact bat this winter just became all that harder.