Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays failed to reach an agreement on a contract extension before Monday night’s deadline, opening the door for the 25-year-old Canadian first baseman to become a free agent in November
Guerrero, a four-time All-Star and son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, said he had set a deadline of 9 p.m. Monday, but the Blue Jays’ last call was at 10:30 p.m. When asked if the team was close to what he was asking for, Guerrero simply said: “No. They have their numbers; I have mine,” he said Tuesday
Meanwhile, the team’s general manager Ross Atkins said the Blue Jays offers were “very, very aggressive”
“I’m sure we exhausted communication, ideas, thoughts and communicated every dollar. The offers we made for Vlad would have been record-breaking and would have made him one of the highest-paid players in the game,” Atkins added
Vlad Guerrero Jr. does not close the door on Blue Jays
Without a deal in place, Guerrero said he plans to cut off negotiations and play the season as a pending free agent, but also said later that “he won’t close the door on a realistic offer” from the Blue Jays, reported ESPN
“I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career, but it’s free agency. It’s a business. So I’ll have to listen to 29 other teams and they’ll have to compete for it,” Guerrero explained
Atkins said the Blue Jays would respect Guerrero’s wishes and that “we will never close any doors.”
Another blow to Toronto’s bad offseasons
The failure to reach an agreement is the latest blow for the Blue Jays, whose search for franchise-caliber talent in recent years was a black mark on the franchise.
Toronto’s strong recruitment of star Shohei Ohtani and outfielder Juan Soto ended in disappointment, as Ohtani signed for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Soto with the New York Mets.
In addition, there is the possible departure of Guerrero Jr, who is their best homegrown talent since Hall of Famer Roy Halladay, which puts the Blue Jays in an even more acute situation
“Soto’s deal had nothing to do with my decision at all,” Guerrero said. “Even before that, I knew my worth. I knew my number.”
Guerrero said the Blue Jays knew about the deadline since last season, and that they did not want negotiations to extend into spring training in 2025 and become a distraction
“I don’t want, especially for 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, and I want to get to the playoffs. That’s all.”
Blue Jays options
Toronto could explore a trade for Guerrero, who would guarantee one of the biggest returns in recent memory. The Blue Jays, sources said, are more inclined to begin the season with Guerrero in their lineup and reevaluate the possibility of a trade as the July deadline approaches
“We feel like we have a great team,” Atkins said. “Vladdy is a very important part, and will continue to be a very important part for us.”
Guerrero, for his part, said there is no animosity toward the Jays’ front office
“I love the city. I love the fans,” Guerrero said. “It’s tough, but at the end of the day it’s a business. I’ll do whatever it takes to stay here with the Blue Jays. I love it here. I want to be here.”
During his six seasons in Toronto, Guerrero has become one of the most feared hitters in all of MLB.
Last season, he hit a lofty .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs. By November this year, big-market suitors are expected to lavish him with some of the biggest contracts in baseball history.
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