The Toronto Blue Jays and star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not agree to an extension before Monday night’s deadline, and he is set to hit free agency next offseason and perhaps be the top player on the market at 26 years old.
“They had their numbers, I had my numbers,” Guerrero said, via Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.
Guerrero was asked if he and the Blue Jays got close to a number that he would have signed, and he said a simple, “No,” according to Jeff Passan of ESPN. He did say he would re-sign in free agency and wants to be a Blue Jay for life, but he also said that now they will have to beat 29 other teams.
The Blue Jays might be in their last year of contention with this group of players. They have been a playoff contender for the most part over the last five years or so, but have not found playoff success. Guerrero is the best player of the group, a true force in the middle of the lineup. Anthony Santander was a huge addition, hopefully bringing some power to the lineup.
Not only is Guerrero a free agent after the season, but shortstop Bo Bichette is as well. Despite a down year in 2024, he is the other core player for the Blue Jays, and it will be interesting to see if he is retained as well.
If the Blue Jays falter again in 2025, both Guerrero and Bichette could be players that get moved at the trade deadline. It will be interesting to see if the Blue Jays move them if they are out of the playoff race, or if they keep them down the stretch, in the same way that the Los Angeles Angels kept Shohei Ohtani down the stretch before he hit free agency in 2023.
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