• Mon. Dec 23rd, 2024

Blue Jays superstar could surpass Juan Soto’s $765 million Mets contract record.

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Dec 10, 2024 #Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays missed out on acquiring superstar slugger Juan Soto, but they may soon get a chance to make up for it.

After the New York Mets secured Soto with a groundbreaking $765 million contract, it’s clear that superstar players can now command unprecedented sums. It may only be a matter of time before another player surpasses Soto’s record, and according to Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is among those with the best chance to do so.

“Among the players set to hit free agency in the next three years, he is by far the most likely to come close to that level of contract,” Miller wrote about Guerrero. “He turns 26 in March, meaning that when he hits free agency next winter, he’ll be only about seven months older than Soto was when he first entered the market. Few players reach free agency before turning 27, but we’re about to witness back-to-back years of monumental ones—assuming he doesn’t sign an extension before then.”

After six seasons with the Blue Jays, Guerrero is entering his final year of arbitration eligibility in 2025. Although he’s a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and Gold Glove winner, his career achievements don’t quite match those of Soto at this stage.

Soto is also a four-time All-Star, but with five Silver Slugger Awards in seven seasons. He has received MVP votes in five different seasons, while Guerrero has earned MVP votes in just three. Soto also has a World Series Championship from his time with the Washington Nationals, while Guerrero has yet to get past the American League Wild Card Series.

Soto’s career slash line is .285/.421/.532, compared to Guerrero’s .288/.363/.500.

However, with baseball contracts rising each year and another season to demonstrate his value before signing a long-term deal, Guerrero still has a chance to set a new contract record for 2026 and beyond.

“The big question at this point is how strong Guerrero’s final season before free agency will be,” Miller added. “Even if he only performs decently next year—say, making his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance but ranking as a borderline top-20 MVP candidate—a long-term deal worth over $500 million is definitely on the table. But if Guerrero has an MVP-worthy season and leads Toronto deep into October, Soto’s record might only stand for one year.”

Given the potential to break Soto’s record, Guerrero is unlikely to agree to an extension with the Blue Jays before hitting free agency. And if he does enter the market, the bidding could go sky-high.

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