The Toronto Blue Jays were unable to secure an extension for Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason, and he is now set to become a free agent. Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Guerrero is seeking a deal worth $500 million in present value.
According to Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post, the Blue Jays made an offer close to that amount, but with significant deferrals. If Guerrero enters free agency, he is expected to be one of the most coveted players.
In an interview with Spanish-language journalist Yancen Pujols, Guerrero had a brief message about the New York Yankees’ chances of signing him: “Including the Yankees,” he said, referring to his availability to all teams in free agency.
Guerrero specifically mentioned the Yankees when Pujols spoke about his conversations with every team, suggesting a shift in his views toward the Yankees after previously making strong remarks in 2022. At that time, Guerrero had said, “I like to play in New York. I like to kill the Yankees.
I would never sign with the Yankees, not even (when I’m) dead,” according to CBS Sports’ Mike Axisa. Earlier this offseason, he expressed a desire to stay with the Blue Jays, though he acknowledged the business side of baseball, according to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson.
The Blue Jays are reportedly preparing a new offer for Guerrero that is closer to his asking price. MLB insider Héctor Gómez wrote on X that the Blue Jays’ new proposal could range from 14 to 15 years and $550-600 million.
The best chance for the Blue Jays to prevent Guerrero from joining the Yankees is to extend him. If he becomes a free agent, the Yankees could be one of the top contenders to sign him.
