The Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are very far apart on a contract extension.
Blue Jays have not met Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s salary desire
Metcast relayed a report from USA Today’s Bob Nightengale which shed light on what’s prevented the franchise from coming to terms with the superstar infielder on a deal to keep him in Toronto for the long term:
“Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. “at least $100M apart” in extension talks,” Metcast published on X on Tuesday afternoon.
Guerrero has been the driving force behind Toronto’s offense for the last four seasons. He led the MLB with 48 home runs and 123 runs scored in 2021. Last season, the 25-year-old dialed in 30 home runs and 103 RBIs behind a ridiculous .323/.396/.544 slash line and a .940 OPS.
The four-time All-Star first baseman is coming off of a one-year, $19.9 million contract he signed with the Blue Jays ahead of the 2024 campaign. Spotrac projects his next contract to have an annual value of $28.8 million, but that and the $30 million threshold are both viewed as lowballs by the exceptional talent.
Blue Jays: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. appears to want $440M
Guerrero Jr. was reportedly put off by Toronto’s initial offer of $340 million, which Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca gave light to on Wednesday:
“In a conversation with Abriendo Sports last month, Guerrero Jr. said he declined a $340-million offer from the Blue Jays. People close to Guerrero Jr. say he’s legitimately open to signing with the Blue Jays and communicating with team personnel regularly, but it’s clear his price tag is well above $340 million,” Nicholson-Smith reported.
Thus, it appears that Guerrero Jr. is valuing himself at nearly $450 million. He and Toronto will enter their second-straight arbitration hearing on Thursday if a deal doesn’t get done. He’s garnering interest from the Boston Red Sox and could be had in free agency if he and the Blue Jays don’t appease him with the salary he demands.