Shohei Ohtani was not on that plane. Neither was Juan Soto. But, after years of circling the tarmac in futility, Ross Atkins might actually land the plane for the Toronto Blue Jays.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was the subject of much speculation when spring training arrived without a contract extension. Toronto did not want to hand over the $500 million-plus Guerrero reasonably expects in a competitive marketplace. That left the Blue Jays toiling in uncertainty. The 26-year-old is really the one thing Toronto has going for it.
The expectation was that Guerrero would table contract negotiations once the season began, but the Blue Jays appear to be working overtime to lock up their All-Star first baseman against all odds. In what would be a truly monumental accomplishment for Atkins, Mark Shapiro, and the Blue Jays front office, a new long-term deal for Guerrero is on the one-yard line, per USA Today's Bob Nightengale.
"While there was a rash of extensions this past week, no extension is more widely anticipated than the $500 million contract that Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is expected to receive, perhaps this week," he wrote. "Despite Guerrero’s spring-training deadline of the start of spring training, the Blue Jays and Guerrero’s representatives continue to negotiate, exchanging figures and are expected to reach a resolution any day."
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Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. expected to agree to terms on extension 'any day' now
This is an incredible development for the Blue Jays, and the first positive sign for a tortured fanbase in quite some time. Toronto is 5-4 out of the gate, second in a competitive AL East despite middling production from Guerrero so far. That will obviously turn around in due time, so Toronto can feel reasonably good about things. Especially with Guerrero presumably in-house for the next decade.
When Guerrero allegedly "ended" contract talks at the beginning of spring training, the vibes in Toronto weren't great. Atkins has been chasing his great white whale for years, putting the Blue Jays on the precipice of blockbuster additions, only to fall short every single time. Ohtani, Soto, Burnes, the list goes on. Now he can finally cue up his signature move — an extension to keep a local superstar north of the border, potentially for his entire career.
This is what both sides wanted all along. Guerrero has expressed his affection for Toronto and its fans at every opportunity. He made what felt like a logical and necessary business decision when the Blue Jays wouldn't pony up initially, but now that talks are back on and Toronto is willing to go the extra mile, of course Guerrero is happy to re-sign.
Atkins may be operating out of fear here, but sometimes fear is a good thing. You need to understand the weight and consequences of your actions as a major-league GM. Cost-cutting isn't what puts butts in seats or keeps fans engaged. It's winning, and oftentimes in this league, the quickest route to winning is cold, hard cash.
Guerrero is one of the most balanced and explosive hitters in MLB. He is the beating heart of this Blue Jays team, and his seemingly inevitable extension sets the table for a genuinely exciting future.