Report: Blue Jays make another offer to Vladdy
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The Toronto Blue Jays have made another contract offer to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the last 24 hours, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
However, Olney also reports a gap still remains between the two sides as the Jays get set to begin their 2025 season Thursday afternoon. He adds that it's unclear whether there will be more talks in the immediate future.
This comes one day after general manager Ross Atkins told reporters Wednesday he was "hopeful" he reaching an agreement with Guerrero and reiterated he believes the star first baseman wants to be a Blue Jay long-term. Last week, team president Mark Shapiro expressed confidence to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson the two sides would be able to reach an agreement.
“I think we’re going to sign him. I think we’re going to extend him,” Shapiro said. “The reason I feel that way is because we have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome.”
Guerrero set a deadline of Feb. 18, the first full-squad workout at spring training, to negotiate an extension. He said that day the Jays would now have to compete with 29 other teams to sign him after the season.
The 26-year-old changed his tune as spring training went on, also expressing hope he and the Jays would be able to work things out ahead of next winter.
“I’ve always felt good about the whole thing,” the four-time All-Star first baseman said, per the New York Post. “I’m good with that. Just going to keep working very hard and be optimistic, too. Not going to shut the door on them."
Olney reported earlier this month he believes the Blue Jays were about $50 million apart in negotiations, which averages out to about $3.5 million when spread out over a 14-year period. Guerrero told ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez earlier this month that the last contract extension proposal his representatives presented to the Jays before his self-imposed deadline fell short of $600 million.
Guerrero and the Jays settled on a $28.5 million contract for this season ahead of arbitration. He is coming off his best season since 2021, slashing .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs and 103 RBI. He made his fourth straight All-Star team last year and won his second Silver Slugger.
Toronto begins their season Thursday afternoon at Rogers Centre against the Baltimore Orioles. Jose Berrios gets the ball for the home side against right-hander Zach Eflin.