The Toronto Blue Jays are keeping their star slugger for at least one more season.
The team avoided arbitration with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as the two sides agreed to a $28.5 million contract per Sportsnet’s Shi Davidi. The 25-year-old could still hit free agency next winter, but this deal will keep him in Toronto for at least one more season.
This deal is the third largest one-year contract for arbitration-eligible players in MLB history, trailing only Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani.
Guerrero Jr. finished last season with 30 home runs and hit .323. He finished sixth in AL MVP voting for his efforts and was one of the best hitters across the entire MLB.
So far in his career, he has 160 home runs, 507 RBIs, and is hitting .288, all with the Blue Jays. Last year, he was named an All-Star Game starter for the third time.
Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agree at $28.5m, per source.
— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) January 10, 2025
Recent reports suggest the two sides were “more than $100 million apart” on contract talks surrounding a long-term extension. This deal is a short-term solution, but there will still need to be further negotiations to keep him around in Toronto for the years to come.
The Blue Jays settled with several other players today, including Daulton Varsho and Alejandro Kirk, although no deal was as important as this one with Guerrero Jr.
This offseason hasn’t gone as many fans were hoping for. While the Blue Jays have been linked to many big-name free agents, they haven’t actually been able to make any significant additions. Reporting suggests that one of the reasons is the team’s farm system, which doesn’t inspire much confidence.
The club finished last year in last place in the AL East. With no major incoming stars, it’ll be difficult for them to climb upwards, although at least today’s news means that Guerrero Jr. will return.