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Ross Atkins: Blue Jays need to “stay disciplined” with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s extension
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Photo credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Dec 9, 2024, 20:18 EST
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Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins spoke to the media on Monday evening. It went about how you’d expect.
As you know, the Blue Jays were heavily interested in Juan Soto, reportedly offering him close to, if not, $760 million. However, he signed with the New York Mets, meaning that the Blue Jays missed out on one of the best talents in baseball for a second consecutive off-season.
In his media press conference, there were a few interesting tidbits, mainly regarding Vladimir Guerrero Jr., their plans for spending this off-season, and potentially bringing back a former Blue Jays.
Let’s start with the Guerrero Jr. extension.

What’s up with Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s extension

On Monday, MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson noted that Ross Atkins noted that the team has to “stay disciplined” and nothing has changed in regards to a Guerrero Jr. extension.
However, things have changed. Guerrero Jr. is not nearly the player that Juan Soto is, but he’s still a superstar who’ll hit free agency before he turns 27. Guerrero Jr. will undoubtedly be the best player in free agency next season if he reaches it, and the Blue Jays would be well advised to show some urgency and sign him before the season begins.
Last season, Guerrero Jr. slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs in 697 plate appearances for a 165 wRC+ and a 5.5 fWAR, the second-best season of his career. Sure, he’s been inconsistent throughout his seven-year career, looking like an MVP candidate at times to a very good player at other times, making it hard to pin down his worth.
If he hits like he did last season and he isn’t signed to a long-term deal, there’s a very good chance he will test the open market and if the Jays have another dud of a season, what’s stopping him from signing elsewhere?
Get a deal done, even if you have to overpay.

The financial flexibility

Throughout the off-season, we’ve heard about a Juan Soto budget and a regular budget. Ross Atkins was asked about their financial flexibility on Monday and said:
“Every player, every acquisition is unique. I would say that those two [Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto] are incredibly unique.”
While the Blue Jays should just be handing out $700+ million deals to just anyone, they need to spend this off-season, and they need to do so heavily if they wish to contend in 2025, which appears to be their goal.
Last season, they didn’t have a pivot from missing out on Shohei Ohtani, instead they re-signed Kevin Kiermaier while signing Yariel Rodríguez, Justin Turner, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa. In turn, the Jays went 74-88 and sold three of those four players as they missed the postseason.
Thankfully, there are better free agents this off-season, as they’ve been linked heavily to Anthony Santander, who hit 44 home runs last season. But they need to open their wallets this off-season if they even wish to sniff the postseason.

Is a reunion with Teoscar Hernández possible?

Ross Atkins also spoke about Teoscar Hernández, noting that they’re interested in him.
The Blue Jays traded Hernández after the 2022 season to the Seattle Mariners in exchange for Adam Macko and Erik Swanson. After a mediocre season with the Mariners, Hernández signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers
Hernández’s 2024 season was one of the best of his career, as he slashed .272/.339/.501 with a career-best 33 home runs in 652 plate appearances for a 134 wRC+ and a 3.5 fWAR. He also ended up winning the World Series with the Dodgers in 2024, setting himself up nicely for a big contract in free agency.
Last off-season, the Blue Jays had an opportunity to pivot and re-sign the fan favourite, and ended up not doing so. They can’t make the same mistake this season, whether that be Hernández, Santander, or another star player.
As always, you can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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