Dunedin, Florida – Star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recently disclosed that he was seeking a contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays for less than $600 million in negotiations with the team. Although the exact figure was not made public, Guerrero expressed interest in a lengthy deal spanning 14 or more years.
Additional details supplied by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic revealed that Guerrero was aiming for a net present value of $500 million to forego testing free agency. Toronto’s offer, reported by Jon Heyman, Joel Sherman, and Shi Davidi, was in the $500 million range but featured deferred payments, resulting in a lower NPV estimate compared to Guerrero’s desired amount.
While Guerrero’s reported asking price fell short of the record-setting $765 million deal signed by Juan Soto, the Blue Jays demonstrated willingness to accommodate star players with a budget stretching beyond Guerrero’s initial request. The team had even entertained offers close to $700 million for Soto, showcasing their commitment to securing top talent despite their franchise’s largest contract standing at a more modest $150 million for George Springer.
Guerrero, known for his impressive .288/.363/.500 career batting average, is coming off a stellar season with a .323/.396/.544 performance including 30 home runs. Despite not consistently replicating those numbers annually, Guerrero’s consistent presence among MVP contenders highlights his value as one of the game’s top hitters.
As negotiations between Guerrero and the Blue Jays progressed, the gap between their offers and the player’s expectations widened. While Guerrero acknowledged the possibility of revisiting discussions post-Spring Training, he remained steadfast in his intention to explore free agency. If he does reach the open market, the 27-year-old slugger is primed to command significant attention as one of the premier free agents in the upcoming class.