The Toronto Blue Jays recently completed one contract extension, but not the one Blue Jay fans have been waiting all winter for.
According to Robert Murray, Toronto, and catcher Alejandro Kirk have agreed on a $58-million, five-year extension that kicks in next season and runs through 2030.
BREAKING: Alejandro Kirk and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a five-year, $58 million contract extension, source says. The structure, which includes a signing bonus and no club options, allows him to enter free agency after his age-31 season. Kirk is represented by Eric…
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) March 23, 2025
Kirk, 26, grades out as one of the better pitchframers in the league. Although defensive ratings typically determine a catcher's worth, the Blue Jays hope to see more of the 2022 Kirk at the plate. During that All-Star season, Kirk slashed .285/.415/.786 at the plate, pounding 14 home runs while driving in 63. Last year, Kirk hit a very respectful .253 with five long balls and 54 RBIs.
Kirk, a Gold Glove finalist last season, is expected to see a much heavier workload in '25 than he saw in his 103 games. With Danny Jansen no longer in town, Toronto is set to open the year with Kirk and Tyler Heineman, who was told Saturday morning he’d made the club, operating behind the plate.
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The Blue Jays continue to work on a contract extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
The Toronto Blue Jays remain one of the hottest topics around the water cooler these days. It remains puzzling that general manager Ross Atkins has failed to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just days before Opening Day. As the pressure continued to mount around the topic, Toronto's President of Baseball Operations and CEO Mark Shapiro stepped into the limelight to mention that he believed the Blue Jays and their star first baseman would come to an agreement on a lucrative contract extension.
Reports suggest that the Blue Jays and Guerrero Jr. are roughly $50 million dollars apart on a contract that would supposedly extend the top-flight first baseman for 14 years. Guerrero Jr. is said to be looking for the floor of a new deal to be around $600 million. The longer Guerrero Jr. remains unsigned, the number could significantly increase.
If Vladdy gets off to a hot start, instead of earning in the $40-ish million range annually, that number could inflate to $45 or $50 million. It's in Toronto's best interest to complete this deal before Opening Day on Thursday if the organization hopes to avoid continuing to play with fire.
In a recent interview, Guerrero Jr. mentioned that he planned to “keep working very hard and be optimistic, too," via SportsNet.
“I'm not going to shut the door on them, I'm open, I’ll be open. But I'm going to leave that to my agents to work with that. I’m going to stay focused on what I have to do,” he said in comments interpreted by Hector Lebron. “I will say we haven't sat down and gotten something maybe the way I want it, in that aspect. But we're going to continue to talk about it, I guess, and hopefully, we’ll get something.”
Don't forget, shortstop Bo Bichette is also a pending free agent.
Max Scherzer, a significant cog in the Blue Jays machine, has a troubling thumb issue
Max Scherzer's thumb doesn't appear to be an issue to begin the year, but as the veteran starter recently mentioned, "this can blow up fast." The future Hall of Famer had dealt with a lingering thumb issue since early this spring.
“It’s a little thing that’s a big thing,” Scherzer said via The Athletic. “I’m not gonna lie, it’s frustrating. Because I know I can pitch at this level. I know I can still pitch at a very high level, as well. I know I have the pitches that I can execute and I can locate. But right now, it’s a thumb issue, and I’m gonna be battling until I’m fully built up.”
“When I’m out there, it heats up, and it goes away, and I’m fine,” Scherzer said. “It’s kind of like tendinitis, in a way. Once it gets hot and gets out there, then I don’t feel it and I can pitch the way I’ve always pitched. I’m not worried about my stuff; I’m worried about how I recover — because this can blow up fast and lead to a lot of other things.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider checked with Scherzer following his latest spring training start against the Minnesota Twins. According to Shi Davidi of Sportsnet, Scherzer tossed 62 pitches, 47 of which were strikes, and all checked out good with the thumb a day later.
Scherzer, 40, signed a one-year deal worth $15.5 million this offseason to help solidify the Blue Jays starting rotation.