For a while there, it felt like a near lock that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was headed to free agency after the 2025 campaign. The Toronto Blue Jays did not meet his asking price for an extension by the time his self-imposed deadline hit, so it was assumed that talks would come to a halt.
Not only did they continue on, the Blue Jays wound up reaching agreement with the superstar first baseman. The terms of the deal were wild:14 years, $500 million. There is no deferred money and there are no opt-outs. By signing this deal, Guerrero Jr. essentially committed the rest of his career to Toronto.
With the Blue Jays returning home for Monday's series opener against the Atlanta Braves after a long road trip, Guerrero Jr. finally got his official press conference announcing the deal. It's safe to say it went as well as Blue Jays fans could've hoped.
“I always thought about this. Always. Since I signed here, I always thought I was going to be a Blue Jay forever,” Guerrero said. “That’s what happened today. Thank god we did it. I’m going to be a Blue Jay forever.”
Guerrero Jr. is a Blue Jay for life, and he couldn't be more excited. How can Blue Jays fans not get fired up about that?
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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension is a seminal moment in Blue Jays history
Was this an overpay for Toronto? I think even most Blue Jays fans would say yes. Even with that being said, Guerrero Jr. signing this deal was something that the Blue Jays simply had to get done.
It's so rare for any player to remain with one franchise for his entire career, let alone one of Guerrero Jr.'s caliber. The Blue Jays have had all kinds of trouble keeping players around and recruiting talent to Toronto, so getting Vladdy to sign the dotted line, even if they had to overpay, is a big deal. The fan base knows that.
The future in Toronto might not be insanely bright with an older rotation and a lackluster farm system, but Blue Jays fans now know that their hero and face of the franchise isn't going anywhere. Not only is Guerrero Jr. a great player, but he happens to also be Canadian. It's the perfect storm.
Whether the Blue Jays win with Guerrero Jr. or not, he will always be a legend in Toronto for committing to the organization for the rest of his career.