Predicting the Upcoming Contract for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., currently shining for the Toronto Blue Jays, may soon find a new home. With no contract extension agreement in sight before Spring Training's start, Guerrero, a power-hitting first baseman, is poised to become an unrestricted free agent after the 2025 season. He's held the team's spotlight since debuting at 20, with a five-year track record boasting a .288/.363/.500 batting average and an 137 OPS+, outperforming the league average by 37%. With four All-Star selections, two Silver Sluggers, a Gold Glove, and second place in the 2021 MVP race, his production is undeniable.
Set to turn 26 in April, Guerrero will hit free agency at a relatively young age. The competition for his signature will likely result in a hefty payday. In the same boat was Juan Soto, who inked a 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets this offseason. Guerrero's potential earnings won't touch that astronomical number, as his 160 OPS+ career performance is behind Soto's, and he'll be a year older at free agency.[1]
More reasonable benchmarks could be found in Alex Bregman and Aaron Judge's $40 million-per-year deals. Expecting to surpass the average value, Guerrero can expect a 12-year agreement or more, potentially totalling over $480 million.
His 2024 campaign saw a .323/.396/.544 batting line, 30 homers, and a 166 OPS+, illustrating a superstar-caliber season. In contrast, his 2023 numbers (.264/.345/.444, 116 OPS+) were still strong but fell short of his superstar level performance. Guerrero struggles optimizing for fly balls, with a 48.6% groundball rate, but has the power to translate solid contact into home runs, boasting a 18.4% career HR/FB rate (home runs per fly balls hit)[1].
First basemen have been in high demand this offseason, but few teams have made long-term investments. The Blue Jays should remain interested, as they will have competition such as Puig, Alonso, Naylor, and Arraez. Guerrero can't say 'never' to a potential extension, but the Blue Jays' failure to reach an agreement by Spring Training has raised expectations for his lucrative free agency.[1]
Sources:
[1] Base article.[2] Team interest and potential suitors are derived from enrichment data, which mentions teams like the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs as possible landing spots.
- If negotiations for a contract extension with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. fail before the start of Spring Training, the Guerrero blue jays may need to prepare for life without their star first baseman, who has been a standout for the Toronto Blue jays since debuting.
- Guerrero's impressive five-year track record, including a .288/.363/.500 batting average and a 137 OPS+, has positioned him as a coveted free agent when his contract expires in 2025.
- With Guerrero Jr.'s production and potential as a power-hitting first baseman undeniable, the competition for his signature in 2025 is expected to result in a substantial payday for the former Guerrero blue jays player.
- In anticipation of Vladimir Guerrero's lucrative free agency in 2025, teams like the Baltimore Orioles, New York Mets, and Chicago Cubs have shown interest, adding to the pressure for the Toronto Blue jays to reach an agreement with Guerrero Jr. before he hits the open market.
- While the Blue jays may face stiff competition for Vladimir Guerrero's services in 2025, the team cannot dismiss the possibility of renewing his contract. After their failure to negotiate an extension before Spring Training, expectations for Guerrero's dividend have risen, but the total compensation is yet to be determined.
- With just a few benchmarks to go by, such as Alex Bregman and Aaron Judge's $40 million-per-year deals, the 26-year-old Guerrero Junior can reasonably expect a 12-year agreement or more, potentially amounting to a staggering dividend in excess of $480 million.
