The Toronto Blue Jays and franchise participant Vladimir Guerrero Jr. didn’t attain a long-term contract extension previous to Guerrero’s self-imposed deadline Monday, the slugger instructed reporters Tuesday morning from spring coaching camp in Dunedin. Guerrero had beforehand mentioned he is not going to talk about a brand new contract as soon as the group’s full squad exercises start Tuesday. He’s scheduled to develop into a free agent after the season.
“I am right here. We did not get an settlement,” Guerrero mentioned by an interpreter. “Now, they will must compete with 29 different groups.”
Guerrero mentioned the 2 sides had been working till 10:30 p.m. Monday however had been unable to discover a deal.
“They’d their numbers, I had my numbers,” he mentioned. “It is simply enterprise, like I all the time say. Issues occur. We’re all good.”
Guerrero, 26 subsequent month, would be the greatest and youngest free agent available on the market this coming offseason. He’s coming off a terrific 2024 season, one which noticed him hit .323/.396/.544 with 44 doubles and 30 dwelling runs. That earned him his fourth straight All-Star choice and a sixth-place end within the MVP voting. Guerrero was the AL MVP runner-up in 2021.
Juan Soto’s file 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets raised the wage bar for star gamers of their mid-20s. Vlad Jr. is just not Soto, however he’s just about the following smartest thing, and the Blue Jays are determined. They’ve had bother convincing free brokers to take their cash the previous few years. Dropping their homegrown franchise participant could be devastating.
In December, Guerrero confirmed the Blue Jays provided a $340 million contract that was “not even near what we’re searching for.” The provide was made earlier than Soto’s contract modified the panorama. Contracts for star gamers take them by age 39 or 40 as of late (Soto, Mookie Betts, Aaron Decide, Manny Machado, and so forth.). Meaning no less than a 13-year deal for Guerrero.
Monday’s deadline was self-imposed and the factor about self-imposed deadlines is that they’re versatile. The Blue Jays might strategy Guerrero a couple of new deal in some unspecified time in the future within the coming weeks, simply in case he modifies his thoughts, although the slugger did say Tuesday that he does not intend to barter through the season. His household presumably doesn’t want the cash given his and his father’s careers, permitting Guerrero to play hardball.
The Blue Jays went 74-88 in 2024, their worst file since 2019. They tried and did not signal a number of distinguished free brokers this offseason (Soto, Corbin Burnes, Max Fried, and so forth.) earlier than pivoting to Anthony Santander, Max Scherzer, and Jeff Hoffman.
