Guerrero sets sights on free agency after season

DUNEDIN - The Toronto Blue Jays and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not reach an agreement on an extension before his Tuesday deadline on contract negotiations. 

The 25-year-old first baseman, who's entering the final year of his current deal, said he does not plan to continue talks now that he has arrived at camp. 

The developments pave the way for Guerrero to become a free agent this fall.

"The last couple days, the front office, my lawyers, my agents, they met, both (sides) tried but obviously we couldn't get an agreement," Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron.

Guerrero did not get into specifics of the talks but did say the Blue Jays were not close to the dollar figure he was looking for. 

"We never got to the point where I felt like I wanted to do the deal," he said. 

Guerrero would be one of the biggest names available if he were to hit the open market after the World Series. 

Guerrero has been a key offensive cog in the Toronto lineup in recent years. He hit .323 last season with 30 homers and 103 RBIs.

"We worked very hard and the motivation is still there," said Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins. "I'm confident that every thought, idea we had -- every dollar that we had -- was communicated. But we're obviously disappointed to not have gotten that done. 

"It doesn't change our desire. We will certainly be motivated and remain motivated."

Like many position players, Guerrero normally arrives well before deadline day to begin working out and participating in early training sessions. This year, he worked out at a private gym in nearby Tampa.

The lack of an extension was another blow for a Blue Jays' front office that missed out on superstar free agents Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto over the last two years. 

Now it appears they will have to compete for Guerrero's services with 29 other teams this fall. 

"There really aren't degrees of getting it done or not getting it done," said Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro. "It's either a done deal or not a done deal. The bottom line result is (that) we're disappointed we couldn't get a deal done."

Guerrero came up through the Toronto system and made his big-league debut in 2019. In the four seasons since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, he has averaged 34 homers and 101 RBIs a year.

Shapiro said team chairman Edward Rogers was personally involved in the process. 

"He talked to Vladdy, it was a great interaction in which he expressed his appreciation for Vlad, what he's done here, his desire to keep him here," said Shapiro, who added that Tony Staffieri, the CEO of team owner Rogers Communications Inc., was also involved.

Both sides are taking on risk by not getting a deal signed.

For the player, Guerrero's stock could drop if his numbers slip or he suffers a serious injury. Of course, another strong campaign would only pad his wallet even more down the road.

The Blue Jays, meanwhile, run the risk of their homegrown superstar walking away for essentially nothing in return.

After making the wild-card round in three of four years, Toronto fell to last place in the American League East last season with a 74-88 record.

The Blue Jays recently avoided arbitration with Guerrero when the two sides agreed to a US$28.5-million deal for the final year of team control.

After the morning media availabilities, Guerrero hit the training field for batting practice and player workouts in preparation for Saturday's pre-season opener against the New York Yankees.

He said he told the team about his extension deadline after last season.

"I don't want, especially my teammates, to go through any distractions about that," Guerrero said. "I'm here today and I'm ready. I want to win a lot of games and I want to make it to the playoffs.

"That's all that's in my head right now."

Toronto kicks off the regular season on March 27 against the Baltimore Orioles at Rogers Centre.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2025.