The Toronto Blue Jays and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were unable to agree on a contract extension before his self-imposed Monday night deadline, setting the stage for the 25-year-old All-Star to become a free agent in November.
“They have their numbers; I have my numbers,” Guerrero said Tuesday, confirming that the Blue Jays’ final call came after his deadline had passed. When asked if Toronto’s offer was close to his expectations, he simply responded, “No.”
Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins insisted the team made “very, very aggressive” offers. “The offers that we made for Vlad would’ve been record-setting and would’ve made him one of the highest-paid players in the game,” Atkins stated.
With no deal in place, Guerrero intends to focus on the season ahead but left the door open for a “realistic” offer from Toronto. “I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career,” Guerrero said. “But it’s free agency. It’s business. So I’m going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they’re going to have to compete for that.”
Atkins echoed a similar sentiment, emphasizing that the team will respect Guerrero’s stance but “we’ll never close any doors.”
The failure to secure a contract extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is yet another setback for the Blue Jays, who have struggled to land elite talent in recent years. Toronto’s aggressive pursuits of Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto both ended in disappointment, with Ohtani signing with the Dodgers and Soto landing with the Mets. Now, the potential departure of their best homegrown player since Hall of Famer Roy Halladay only adds to the franchise’s frustrations.
Guerrero, however, made it clear that other players’ deals had no impact on his stance. “Soto’s deal had nothing to do with my decision at all,” he said. “Even before that, I knew my value. I knew my number.”
Guerrero made it clear that the Blue Jays had known about his contract deadline since last season, as he wanted to avoid any distractions during spring training.
“I don’t want—especially my teammates—to go through any distractions,” Guerrero said. “I’m here today, I’m ready, and I want to win a lot of games. I want to make it to the playoffs. That’s all.”
With no extension in place, Toronto now faces a major decision. Trading Guerrero could yield one of the biggest returns in recent history, but sources indicate the Blue Jays plan to start the season with him and reevaluate their options closer to the trade deadline.
“We feel like we have a great team,” general manager Ross Atkins said. “Vladdy is a very big part of it, and Vladdy will remain a very big part of it.”
Despite the failed negotiations, Guerrero harbors no ill will toward the organization.
“I love the city. I love the fans,” he said. “It’s hard, but at the end of the day, it’s business. I’ll do everything I can to stay here with the Blue Jays. I love it here. I want to be here.”
Since making his MLB debut in 2019, Guerrero has emerged as one of the game’s top hitters. He had a dominant second half in 2024, posting a .376 batting average—the best in MLB after the All-Star break—while ranking second in OPS (1.127) behind only Aaron Judge. His overall performance, including 30 home runs and 103 RBIs last season, has positioned him for a historic free-agent payday.
With Juan Soto securing a record-breaking 15-year, $765 million contract from the Mets this offseason, Guerrero’s market value could exceed what the Blue Jays were willing to offer. While Toronto had attempted to sign him to a long-term deal for years, talks never gained traction.
Now, as Guerrero prepares for the Blue Jays’ first full-squad workout on Tuesday, his looming free agency threatens to overshadow a team coming off a last-place finish in the AL East.