After agreeing to a $28.5MM wage to keep away from arbitration final week, the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can flip their focus to a long-term deal. The four-time All-Star stated final month that the Jays had supplied him round $340MM, which he stated was effectively under his asking worth. That provide reportedly predated Juan Soto’s $765MM settlement with the Mets that shattered prior contractual precedents.
Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic report that the Jays haven’t had any extension talks with Guerrero’s camp since earlier than Christmas. That signifies there was little to no dialogue a couple of long-term deal within the talks to keep away from exchanging arbitration submitting figures. Nevertheless, Rosenthal and Sammon write that extension talks are anticipated to select again up earlier than the start of Spring Coaching.
Guerrero stated final month that he would minimize off negotiations as quickly as Spring Coaching begins. It’s frequent for gamers to publicly impose deadlines — many favor to not talk about contracts as soon as the common season will get underway — however some gamers will finally proceed talks past these “cutoffs” in the event that they really feel negotiations are making progress. If each workforce and participant are amenable, extension discussions can happen at any level.
Whereas Guerrero isn’t going to get Soto cash, he’s clearly wanting effectively past the $313.5MM extension that Rafael Devers obtained from the Crimson Sox over the 2022-23 offseason. USA Right now’s Bob Nightengale wrote final week that Guerrero’s asking worth was believed to be at or above $450MM. Jon Heyman of The New York Put up suggests equally, reporting that the previous MVP runner-up is seeking to high $400MM and will purpose for a deal nearer to the half-billion greenback mark.
It stays to be seen whether or not the Jays have the urge for food for that type of funding. They made greater gives to Shohei Ohtani and Soto, suggesting they’re amenable to an enormous expenditure for sure gamers. Ohtani and Soto offered alternatives so as to add superstars from exterior the group. Extending Guerrero could be a significant increase to a fanbase annoyed by a sequence of near-misses in free company during the last two winters. It is also essential to maintain the workforce from going right into a rebuild after subsequent season. Toronto already faces an uphill path to rivalry within the AL East. Competing in 2026 if Guerrero and Bo Bichette stroll will not be possible.
In any case, the main target appears squarely on an extension. Rosenthal and Sammon write that the workforce a lot prefers to maintain Guerrero somewhat than commerce him. They counsel that, so as to even think about a commerce, the Jays would wish to obtain a haul that tops what the Yankees despatched to the Padres for one 12 months of Soto’s providers final winter.
New York despatched two seasons of Michael King — who had confirmed himself as a multi-inning reduction weapon and flashed important upside in a restricted look as a starter — because the headliner. The Yankees included highly-regarded pitching prospect Drew Thorpe (whom San Diego flipped because the centerpiece of the Dylan Stop deal), controllable depth starters Jhony Brito and Randy Vásquez, and backup catcher Kyle Higashioka to the Padres. The Yanks additionally acquired Trent Grisham within the deal.
That’s a large haul for one 12 months of any participant, which displays the Jays’ choice for holding onto Guerrero. Maybe that’d change if extension talks don’t progress, although it’d be a significant shock in the event that they dealt him earlier than Opening Day. Toronto hopes to compete for a playoff spot this season. They may nonetheless add one of many high unsigned hitters (e.g. Anthony Santander, Alex Bregman, Pete Alonso). Even when the Jays don’t achieve extending Guerrero, they’d presumably favor to see how issues play out within the season’s first half earlier than deciding whether or not to make him obtainable.
