Blue Jays, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Fail to Reach Extension

Fans of the Toronto Blue Jays received news Tuesday morning that may be considered troubling. The franchise and its star player, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., failed to reach an agreement on an extension. Guerrero had imposed a Monday night deadline for a deal to be reached. Now, the young first baseman is poised for free agency at the end of the season.

“I am confident that we exhausted the communication, the ideas, the thoughts and communicated every dollar,” General Manager Ross Atkins said Tuesday. “The offers that we made for Vlad would’ve been record-setting and would’ve made him one of the highest-paid players in the game.”

Toronto’s inability to reach a deal with Guerrero follows failed attempts to sign two of the biggest stars in baseball the past two winters — Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto, respectively. When asked if the Blue Jays came close to what he was seeking, Guerrero said, “No.”

“They have their numbers; I have my numbers,” Guerrero said Tuesday.

“Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career,” Guerrero continued. “But it’s free agency. It’s business. So I’m going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they’re going to have to compete for that.”

Turning 26 in March, Guerrero is one of the most accomplished youngsters in baseball. A four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger, and former Home Run Derby champ, Guerrero hit .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs last season. As a 22-year-old, Guerrero finished runner-up for the American League MVP after hitting .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs and 111 RBIs. For the Jays, their failure to reach an agreement with Guerrero opens up the possibility of their homegrown star finding a new team.

“Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career,” Guerrero said. “But it’s free agency. It’s business. So I’m going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they’re going to have to compete for that.”

“I love the city. I love the fans,” Guerrero said. “I mean, it’s hard, but at the end of the day, like I say, it’s business. I’ll do everything that I have to stay here with the Blue Jays. I love it here. I want to be here.”

The star informed the front office of his deadline last season and was adamant that discussions cease before Spring Training began.

“I don’t want — especially my teammates — to go through any distractions,” Guerrero said. “I’m here today, I’m ready and want to win a lot of games, and I want to make it to the playoffs. That’s all.”

In terms of what he will be looking for following this season, Guerrero made it clear that he wants to play with a winning organization.

“My dad played a lot of years, and he never won the World Series,” Guerrero said. “And I always say my personal goal is to win a World Series and give the ring to my dad. So that’s all I’m looking for.”