Blue Jays insider believes it might be now or never for a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. contract extension

Not much went right for the 2024 Toronto Blue Jays, but the play of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was something for fans to appreciate. Guerrero had the second-best season of his career thus far, reverting back to the MVP-caliber form he showed in 2021.

Overall, Guerrero slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI. Given the fact that he got off to a slow start and had little to no protection around him in the order for much of the year, this was such an impressive season from Guerrero.

This kind of showing proved that Guerrero should be considered the franchise's centerpiece now and in the future. A long-term extension is something fans have wanted for years now, but outside of his 2021 campaign, Guerrero didn't look like the MVP-caliber player most expected him to be. This past season proved that the time is now for the Jays to lock Guerrero in long-term.

Blue Jays insider Keegan Matheson of MLB.com was asked when the Jays will finally ink Guerrero to the long-term deal that will keep him in Toronto for the foreseeable future. His answer is especially intriguing.

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The clock is ticking for the Blue Jays to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

"Let’s focus on the 'when' here. It’s already clear to anyone with eyeballs that the Blue Jays should do everything possible to keep Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Toronto, but the timing matters. To me, it either has to happen this offseason or it will turn into a situation that stretches into Guerrero’s free agency," Matheson wrote.

Matheson believes that an extension has to come now, or else this situation will stretch into Guerrero's free agency, currently set to take place after the 2025 campaign. The clock, indeed, is ticking.

With this in mind, Blue Jays fans should be concerned if a deal is not reached this offseason. Assuming he plays well, Guerrero's price will only go up, especially when the other 29 teams can bid. The Jays have proven that they're willing to spend a ton on high-end free agents, but will they actually win a Guerrero bidding war? Even if they do outbid the field, will Guerrero choose to re-sign in Toronto if they have another down year over a different team that might be better positioned to win?

The Jays are in a difficult spot here. Their roster, as of this writing, is not close enough to compete for a postseason spot, and it's not as if they're flush with high-end prospects. Despite that, they've shown no desire to even consider a Guerrero trade, yet have not appeared to be close to agreeing to terms on an extension.

The longer this drags out, the more likely it is that Guerrero thinks about free agency. The more he thinks about free agency, the more likely it is that he departs in free agency for nothing more than a compensatory draft pick.

Right now, it's time for Ross Atkins and Blue Jays ownership to pay up to ensure that they keep Guerrero in town for a long time. If that deal isn't coming, a trade must be considered. Beginning the season with Guerrero on the roster without a new deal feels like a disaster waiting to happen.