With less than a week remaining before his self-imposed February 18 deadline, Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remains in contract extension discussions with the team. If no deal is reached by then, Guerrero has stated he will put negotiations on hold as the team begins Spring Training workouts.
Guerrero, who finished sixth in MVP voting last season, made the American League All-Star team and secured his second Silver Slugger award. He posted a .940 OPS over 159 games and recently agreed to a $28.5 million deal for 2025, avoiding arbitration before becoming a free agent in 2026.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, initial negotiations between Guerrero and the Blue Jays are in the $400 million range. Addressing the talks, Toronto GM Ross Atkins emphasized the team’s commitment to keeping Guerrero in Toronto long-term.
“We work extremely hard on keeping Vlad here for a long time,” Atkins said via MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “That desire is strong, and we will continue to do that.”
While Atkins refrained from diving into specifics, he acknowledged the front office is making every effort to reach an agreement: “I don’t want to get too far into the weeds on the negotiation, because anything I share there decreases the likelihood of us getting something done, which is our goal. I can say that we have worked very hard to find a way if there is one.”
Guerrero has been one of MLB’s most productive young hitters, posting a career 137 OPS+ over 819 games. He also won a Gold Glove at first base in 2022, adding defensive value to his already elite bat.
With the deadline fast approaching, all eyes are on whether the Blue Jays and their franchise cornerstone can finalize a historic deal.
