Blue Jays' chances of re-signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just got more difficult

Rumors had been swirling all season long regarding Vladimir Guerrero's future with the Toronto Blue Jays.

He's been featured in trade talks up until the trade deadline, but up to this point, the Jays were holding out hope to bring back Guerrero Jr. with a contract extension this offseason.

Due to the way he has been playing since the deadline, it'll be even more difficult to convince him to re-sign.

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Chances for Blue Jays to re-sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. just got more difficult.

The Blue Jays' have tried to extend Guerrero (and teammate Bo Bichette), but haven't gotten close to agreeing to a new deal with either player. Guerrero’s price tag is growing by the day -- currently sitting with a .327 average (2nd in MLB), 28 homeruns, 93 RBI, and a .960 OPS (7th in MLB).

A perfect comparison to what sort of contract Guerrero Jr. could get is much like Boston Red Sox third-baseman Rafael Devers' 11-year, $331 million contract extension he signed last January. Both are franchise players for their respective teams, and Devers was 26 years-old when he signed his extension, Guerrero Jr. will turn 26 in March of 2025. To make the comparison even more glaring, he has even spent some time playing third base as of late showcasing his versatility.

After not reaching an agreement on a trade, it will be imperative for the Blue Jays to aim high with their price. He's a homegrown star that the fans love, and it would not set a great precedent for future players if they won't even pay their own already established star. Guerrero Jr. is in the midst of another phenomenal season, much like his 2021 season where he finished runner-up (Ohtani) for the American League MVP Award.

Expectations were quite high for Toronto coming into this season with many expecting them to at the very least secure an AL Wild Card spot, Instead, they'll finish with the worst record in the AL East.

This offseason the goal has to be to rebuild, and it should start with securing at least your most beloved player on the entire roster, you've got to keep fans excited to attend games at Rogers Centre. He's got one year left on his current deal and is set to become a free-agent for the 2025-26 offseason.

It will be harder to re-sign Guerrero Jr. to a long-term extension, but it's got to be their first task when the season concludes.