The Blue Jays Are Mishandling a Star
The Blue Jays have had a tough run when it comes to securing elite talent. They missed out on Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto in free agency, and now they risk losing one of their own.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the team’s homegrown star, confirmed yesterday at spring training that he couldn’t reach a contract extension with Toronto. The 25-year-old had set a deadline of Monday to finalize a deal, wanting to avoid in-season negotiations. As a result, he’s now set to become a free agent after this year.
A Costly Mistake
Guerrero boasts a career 137 OPS+ and has earned four All-Star selections in six MLB seasons. He was the MVP runner-up in 2021 and, much like his Hall of Fame father, is a premier hitter with elite power. Losing a player of his caliber to free agency would be a major failure.
Beyond his talent, Guerrero is remarkably durable, having never landed on the injured list. Since his rookie year—when Toronto manipulated his service time—he has essentially played five full seasons. Players like this are rarely allowed to walk away.
Yet, that’s the situation the Blue Jays find themselves in. Ken Rosenthal’s latest column critiques the organization for failing to be proactive, highlighting the financial realities that could have kept Guerrero in Toronto.
The Comparisons
Rosenthal pointed out two relevant benchmarks:
- Fernando Tatis Jr. debuted in 2019, like Guerrero, and signed a 14-year, $340 million extension four years ago. The Padres acted aggressively, and even after Tatis’ PED suspension, the deal remains solid.
- Juan Soto recently secured a 15-year, $765 million contract. While Guerrero won’t reach that figure, a comparable deal could be around 14 years, $560 million when he enters free agency at age 27.
This entire situation was avoidable. Guerrero himself stated that he wanted to stay with the Blue Jays for his entire career. Now, trade rumors will likely swirl in the coming months as Toronto faces the prospect of losing him for nothing.