Olney: Guerrero’s contract ask wasn’t a surprise, Jays’ approach confusing
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ESPN’s Buster Olney doesn’t think the contract ask Vladimir Guerrero Jr. revealed last week was not surprising, but he also doesn’t think the Toronto Blue Jays did the best job of handling negotiations.
Guerrero told ESPN’s Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez in a story posted Friday that the latest extension he proposed to the team was for under $600 million, significantly lower than Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets. Guerrero said he was looking for 14, 15 or even up to 20 years in an extension with the Jays.
“It wasn’t a surprise. It’s pretty clear that his number was influenced by what Soto got. I think there’s an expectation among players that in the aftermath of a Soto deal or an Ohtani deal that the numbers are going to rise for elite players,” Olney told TSN 1050 Toronto’s First Up Tuesday.
“And look, I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again. It’s absolutely reasonable of the Blue Jays to blanche at those type of numbers for any player. Let alone a first baseman who, in the past, has had issues with his weight. That absolutely is reasonable.”
However, Olney said he didn’t understand the Jays’ approach in negotiations with Guerrero once Soto’s market — a market the Jays were heavily involved in according to multiple reports — got to a certain point, saying the Jays should have known it was driving up Guerrero's price.
“Why in the world did they not get ahead of that? They were in the Juan Soto conversations; they were talking to Juan Soto. They were talking to [Soto’s agent] Scott Boras. They knew where those numbers were going, and they had to know in mid-November, late-November, that this was what was going to happen.
“And yet here they are. And it’s confusing. It has not been handled well. It’s pretty clear that Vladdy, at this point, he’s set on his numbers. He’s said and I think fate is sort of determined at this point with him.”
Guerrero told ESPN last week negotiations lasted right up until the deadline he imposed, expiring Feb. 18 when the star first baseman reported for spring training. The 25-year-old announced he plans to become a free agent at the end of the season and the Blue Jays would now have to compete with the 29 other teams for his services. Guerrero added that despite the lack of a deal, his full focus remains on the 2025 season.
With Opening Day just over two weeks away, Olney said things are starting to look up for the Jays as both the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles deal with injuries to key pieces.
“To have the Orioles and the Yankees come back toward the pack, absolutely for the Blue Jays that’s a great sign. I’m hearing the same thing you guys are, Max Scherzer looks great. Alejandro Kirk looks great. We’ve talked about the Blue Jays in past weeks about how they have a thin margin for error. But they do have an avenue if their guys stay on the field and the Yankees and Orioles can’t keep their guys on the field. That’s certainly going tighten the division,” Olney said.
The Jays will open the season at home against the Orioles on March 27.