First baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays are in agreement on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension, pending physical, sources tell ESPN. A monumental, no-deferral deal to keep the homegrown star in Toronto for the rest of his career.
Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agree to a 14-year, $500 million extension
Photo credit: © Reggie Hildred - USA Today
Apr 7, 2025, 00:30 EDTUpdated: Apr 7, 2025, 01:01 EDT
Toronto Blue Jays fans now have 500 million reasons to watch the team for 14 seasons.
Numerous sources reported early Monday morning, just after midnight, that the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. agreed to a 14-year, $500 million deal that, barring any trade, will keep Guerrero Jr. in Toronto for the rest of his career. It’s worth noting that there are no deferrals and he has a full no-trade clause.
You know the impact on the field. Last season, the superstar first baseman slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs in 697 plate appearances for a 165 wRC+, slightly below the season he finished as the runner-up for the American League MVP. Sure, there were those two down years in 2022 and 2023, but Guerrero has slashed .288/.363/.499 with 160 home runs in 3580 plate appearances for a 137 wRC+ in his career.
The off-field ramifications are just as important. Had Guerrero Jr. left, fan interest would have almost completely dropped because the team would have entered another long rebuild. Instead, the team now have their superstar, homegrown talent playing with them to the end of his career.
Of course, this also extends the Blue Jays’ window of contention for years to come. In reality, he’s only earning about $7 million a season more than he currently does, so it’s not exactly a massive payroll jump. That leaves the Jays able to spend money elsewhere when money comes off the books. It also keeps the Rogers Centre full after the 2023 and 2024 renovations.
So what’s next for the Blue Jays? There’s been a little bit of good and a little bit of bad to start the season as they enter the 11-game mark with a 5-5 record. Guerrero Jr. hasn’t had a bad start by any means, but the lack of home runs from him, Anthony Santander, and Bo Bichette has been concerning.
The Jays also have a handful of key players set to be free agents at the end of the season, namely Bichette and Chris Bassitt. Could they look to extend either of these players? Or how about Daulton Varsho, who’ll become a free agent after the end of the 2026 season.
There’s still a lot of work to do to make the Blue Jays better, but extending their franchise for the rest of his career is a good start.
Ryley Delaney is a Nation Network writer for Blue Jays Nation, Oilersnation, and FlamesNation. They can be followed on Twitter @Ryley__Delaney.
Breaking News
- Unsung heroes of the Blue Jays’ offence in the postseason
- Blue Jays: Arizona Fall League Games 10 and 11 recap
- Blue Jays battled improbable path in long-awaited World Series return
- Where does George Springer’s home run rank among biggest playoff moments in Blue Jays history?
- George Springer’s home run was the defining moment of Blue Jays’ season… so far