The New York Mets won’t have any limitations to try and reel in Toronto Blue Jays superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. next fall.
Mets: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slated for free agency
Guerrero Jr. set the start of Spring Training as the deadline for him and the Blue Jays to agree on a contract extension. Both parties avoided arbitration this winter by coming to terms on a one-year, $28.5 million deal.
However, he and Toronto were not able to settle on a deal. Thus, per SNY’s Danny Abriano, the 25-year-old has made it open season for suitors to pursue him once his deal expires.
“When Guerrero was asked Tuesday morning by reporters whether he and the Jays came close to a deal, his succinct reply was ‘no,'” Abriano wrote.
“‘They had their numbers,’ Guerrero said. ‘I had my numbers.’
“Guerrero added: ‘I’m here. We didn’t get an agreement. Now, they’re going to have to compete with 29 other teams.'”
Mets could go all in for Guerrero Jr. in the open market
New York will have a golden opportunity to add an elite talent to their roster to pair next to MVP candidates Juan Soto and Francisco Lindor. Guerrero Jr. would be an upgrade at first base over Pete Alonso, should the latter superstar slugger opt out of his deal and sign elsewhere next fall.
Guerrero Jr. is coming off of a 2024 MLB season where he earned a scintillating 6.2 WAR while hitting .323 with 30 home runs for the Blue Jays. The four-time All-Star would be a perfect option to drive in runs behind Soto, Lindor, and other elite Mets sluggers, as his 103 RBIs from a season ago prove.
Though, he won’t come cheap. Guerrero Jr. could establish a market value of $35 million annually. That would put another gargantuan contract on New York’s books should they capitulate. Nevertheless, shedding Alonso’s $27 million for 2026 would alleviate the burden on the Mets’ payroll in the short term.