No, you're not dreaming, Toronto Blue Jays fans. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. really has agreed to an extension that will keep him in Toronto for what will likely prove to be the remainder of his playing career.
The terms of the deal were, quite simply, outrageous. Guerrero inked a 14-year deal worth $500 million to remain north of the border for the next decade and a half. Not only did he receive the richest contract for a first baseman in MLB history by far, but he also wound up becoming one of the highest-paid players in MLB history as a result of this deal.
Guerrero got paid so handsomely to the point where it's worth looking at where he slots in among the richest contracts signed in MLB history according to present day value.
Note: All contract figures are via Spotrac
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MLB Contracts: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s extension is one of the richest in MLB history
Rank | Player | Present Value Contract (Team) |
|---|---|---|
1 | Juan Soto | 15 years, $765 million (Mets) |
2 | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. | 14 years, $500 million (Blue Jays) |
3 | Shohei Ohtani | 10 years, $460.8 million (Dodgers) |
4 | Mike Trout | 12 years, $426.5 million (Angels) |
5 | Aaron Judge | 9 years, $360 million (Yankees) |
6 | Manny Machado | 11 years, $350 million (Padres) |
7 | Fernando Tatis Jr. | 14 years, $340 million (Padres) |
8 | Francisco Lindor | 10 years, $338 million (Mets) |
9 | Bryce Harper | 13 years, $330 million (Phillies) |
10 | Corey Seager | 10 years, $325 million (Rangers) |
What makes Guerrero's deal especially interesting is that there are no deferrals. This means that all $500 million he's owed within the 14 years of his deal will be paid in those 14 years. Deferrals are why a player like Shohei Ohtani, who deferred all but $20 million of his $700 million deal, has a much lower present value deal. Deferrals are also why Mookie Betts, a player who signed a 12-year, $365 million extension with the Los Angeles Dodgers, isn't even on this list of the ten richest contracts when sorted by present value. Guerrero will be making on average over $35 million annually.
As mentioned above, the terms were pretty outrageous. Only three players have signed deals for $500+ million with or without deferrals. Shohei Ohtani is one of one. Juan Soto could easily be one of the greatest hitters in MLB history when he hangs up his spikes. Guerrero is a great player, obviously, but does he really compare here, especially as a first baseman?
It's a ton of money, but it isn't hard to see why the Blue Jays did this. The one thing they could not afford was to lose him for nothing. Sure, they could've traded Guerrero and gotten a good amount back, but Guerrero is already one of the best players in the game right now. It's unlikely that whatever the Jays could've gotten back would've topped what he can provide for the next decade-plus. The Jays have a ton of money at their disposal, so if this deal won't prevent them from spending a ton elsewhere, why not do this?
Given how much it took to get him to sign the dotted line, though, Guerrero is going to have to do some awesome things in Toronto for a long time. Again, this is the second-richest deal in terms of present-day value in MLB history. With that contract comes great responsibility. It's on Guerrero to help lead the Jays to World Series contention.