Toronto Blue Jays infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is entering his seventh MLB season. A four-time All-Star, Guerrero is one of the best young hitters in baseball
After finishing sixth in the American League MVP voting last season, the right-handed slugger posted a 166 OPS+ and drove in 103 runs.
At just 25 years of age, Guerrero was seeking a lucrative contract extension with the Blue Jays this preseason. After failing to reach an agreement before the deadline he set for himself in February, the Canadian told the press that the Blue Jays were never close to offering him the desired contract, as expressed by ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. received a huge offer
In the weeks since Guerrero’s contract extension deadline passed, news has emerged about the failure of talks between him and the Blue Jays.
Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post reported Tuesday that the Blue Jays offered Guerrero “about $500 million” with significant deferrals.
The Toronto Blue Jays offered superstar first baseman Vlad Guerrero Jr. a contract worth approximately $500 million before negotiations stalled last month, although significant deferrals estimate the actual net present value of the offer to be between $400 million and $450 million, league sources familiar with the negotiations told The Post, Heyman and Sherman wrote.
Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic also reported Tuesday that Guerrero is seeking $500 million in present-day value, not in deferrals.
It now seems unlikely that the Mets will pay what Guerrero is looking for
If the Blue Jays are not willing to offer a contract of this magnitude when Guerrero enters free agency in 2025, which team will? Two seemingly obvious candidates are in New York, but a new report from Heyman shed some light on that. “Despite speculation and the Mets’ abundant coffers, people don’t think it will be them who pay that,” Heyman wrote Thursday
Baseball people don’t see Mets boss David Stearns spending that much money on a powerful first baseman, even a young one. Coupled with the possibility that Pete Alonso will opt out after this season, Guerrero’s impending free agency leaves the Mets with an important decision.
After signing Juan Soto to the richest contract in MLB history, will Mets owner Steve Cohen hand out another historic contract next offseason? Because the $500 million Guerrero is reportedly seeking would make him the highest-paid first baseman in league history.
A decision of this magnitude is something the New York team must ponder between now and free agency in 2025.
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