Less than two months after a contract dispute that seemed to be at an impasse, Blue Jays management finally signed their golden goose.
And Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will seemingly be a Blue Jay for life, thanks to his 14-year, $500 million contract.
“This is a monumental moment in franchise history. Vlad has been part of our Blue Jays family since he was 16 years old and has captured the heart of our city and country,” Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro said in a statement.
Guerrero Jr. was born in Montreal and was signed by the Jays when he was 16. He debuted as a Jay in April 2019, and the right-handed hitter has since amassed a few accolades. He's a four-time All-Star, an All-Star MVP, a two-time Silver Slugger, a Hank Aaron Award winner, a Gold Glove award winner, a Home Run Derby champ (2023), and a two-time Tip O’Neill Award winner as the best Canadian baseball player.
“I love our Blue Jays fans; they have supported me my whole career and made me feel appreciated every day,” Guerrero Jr. said in the statement. “My family and I have a special connection to our second home in Toronto, and I feel fortunate to carry on my dad’s legacy and represent an entire country."
The Guerrero Jr. contract is a sign from management and ownership that they are committed to contending long-term.
The money isn’t surprising, as Rogers Communications, who own the Jays, have shown in the past two offseasons that they were willing to spend big money to win.
A necessary evil to compete in baseball’s most stacked division.
Although Blue Jays General Manager Ross Atkins and President Mark Shapiro swung and missed on both Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto in back-to-back offseasons, the Jays finally prioritized keeping their franchise cornerstone, even if the money is steep.
While the contract, regardless of the term or money, is a massive win for the franchise and the city, that doesn’t necessarily mean Atkins and Shapiro are off the hook.
The pressure is on more now than ever.
According to sports statistics website Spotrac, the Jays have the fifth-highest tax payroll in the MLB, behind the powerhouse Yankees and Dodgers.
And while they are slated to hold that spot heading into the 2026 season, the Jays will have about $70 million coming off the books. And in 2027, an additional $83 million will also be freed up.
The problem is that the money coming off the books in 2026 and 2027 represents key pieces of the Jays' lineup during their contention window.
Two-time all-star Bo Bichette is now the biggest contract expiring, and despite the rough 2024 season he had, Bichette’s still a key player to the team’s success, and not figuring out a contract with him will leave a massive hole in the Jays’ lineup.
Also, starting pitcher Chris Bassitt’s $22 million contract is expiring, which could mean finding another pitcher to add to the rotation.
Two more key players in George Springer, who will have just turned 37, and Kevin Gausman, who will be 35, will also need new deals in 2027.
Springer’s off to a hot start in 2025, showing he can still contribute at an elite level, and Gausman’s been a stable member of the Jays’ starting rotation since his arrival.
Whether or not these two will continue to be key contributors by the time their contracts expire remains to be seen. However, those are two key pieces that would potentially need to be replaced.
However, the Jays' front office has done a solid job of insulating the lineup with promising futures.
Three-time Golden Glove winner and Jays' second base Andrés Giménez is showing exactly what the Cleveland Guardians were expecting when they signed him to his $106.5 million contract that runs until 2030, with three home runs and a .370 OBP (On Base Percentage) through 13 games.
And while the signing of Silver Slugger Anthony Santander hasn’t looked great through the start of the season, the outfielder is coming off a 44-home-run and 102-RBI season, so there’s still hope for him to heat up.
The next two years for Atkins and Shapiro will be crucial in building the Blue Jays up to a World Series-calibre team, which can include a complete shakeup of the core that fans have been accustomed to since 2021.
Team owner Rogers has shown a willingness to spend big money, in baseball and with its recent 12-year, C$11 billion media rights deal with the NHL.
Despite the money Rogers is spending on other avenues, it should still be expected that the owners will be in on almost every big-money free agent moving forward.
Signing Guerrero was a priority, and Atkins has made solid moves acquiring futures in Giménez and Santander.
While core pieces need to be re-signed, the Jays organization is fully committed to winning their first World Series title since 1993, and Guerrero’s contract is just a step one to get back to glory.
