Unlike the New York Yankees, who let Juan Soto go in spectacular fashion, the Toronto Blue Jays should place special emphasis on the renewal of Canadian-born Dominican player Vladimir Guerrero, especially because if there is no progress, the player’s last year of arbitration eligibility is also a considerable factor.
According to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Guerrero could fetch $30 million in arbitration next year, which would bring him closer to an elite franchise and make him the third player in MLB history to reach the paradigm of a big contract, in addition to Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, two of the most high-profile and important players in Major League Baseball today.
The Blue Jays depend on Vladimir’s weight
According to many, Ross Atkins, the Blue Jays manager, should focus on improving the perception that fans have of his team, which last season was a disaster, and he must do so with what everyone expects of him, a big signing or the long-term renewal of his most valuable player ahead of next season, to ensure the differentiating factor for a better season in which he can surpass his already impressive batting average of .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs, for which he was included in the All-Star Team.
Toronto must look to retain Guerrero at all costs
It is then that for a franchise like the Blue Jays it becomes imperative to try to retain Guerrero although it will not be easy having as a precedent the case of Juan Soto, and the tug-of-war with the Yankees that resulted in his departure to the Mets for a few extra million. The ideal path for Toronto is to try to negotiate a good contract to prevent him from reaching free agency and those 30 million pale in comparison to what he can demand afterwards.
Even so, Guerrero has the ability to demand a high-flying contract, which could well be close to those of Ohtani or Soto
Read the full article here
