The Toronto Blue Jays have one of the premier stars in baseball, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., yet seem reluctant to pay him like one of the best.
The Blue Jays had a chance to extend Guerrero before Spring Training, but the sides could not agree to the terms of a deal. It therefore seems like Guerrero will hit the open market after this season and chase the largest contract possible.
Blue Jays Lowballed Vlad Guerrero Jr.
ESPN analyst Buster Olney reported Vlad Jr.’s present-day value was $35 million per year. However, the Blue Jays did not offer him a deal that high. Yet, they did offer Juan Soto a contract with an average annual value of $50 million this offseason.
While Soto is the better player, for Toronto not to offer Vlad $35 million is curious, to put it mildly.
The present-day value of what Vlad wanted was about $35m a year. The Jays signed George Springer five years ago, at age 31, for $25m AAV, and offered Soto closer to $50m AAV. The math does not make sense.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) March 12, 2025
Also, Olney mentioned how the Blue Jays gave a then 31-year-old George Springer $25 million per year five years ago. But they seem unwilling to give Vlad $35 million per year when he is about to turn 26.
If the Blue Jays do not extend Guerrero, their fanbase may never let them live it down. He is a homegrown player who has consistently been one of the best hitters in baseball over the past four seasons.
Can the Blue Jays Be a Playoff Team?
The Blue Jays have struggled to win playoff series during Vladdy’s time in the majors. While he is not to blame for that, it is concerning that they fall short in the postseason year after year. They have made the playoffs three times since Guerrero was called up in 2019, but they’ve lost in the AL Wild Card Round each time.
It will be interesting to see if Toronto can make a run in October this year. They added a big bat this offseason in Anthony Santander, who should help take some pressure off Guerrero. But they will need a few other players, like Bo Bichette and Daulton Varsho, to step up.
One interesting addition for the Blue Jays is former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer. While he is at the end of his career, he should still be able to get hitters out if he can stay healthy.
Ultimately, there aren’t overly elevated expectations for the Blue Jays in 2025. But, if they can have a successful year and Guerrero can put up monster numbers, he will be in for a massive payday from Toronto or another team.