DUNEDIN, Fla. — While Vlad Guerrero Jr. was doing his usual on Tuesday morning at TD Ballpark — effortlessly launching bombs over the ball in batting practice — a different type of blast was in the works.
Specifically details emerging later in the day that the team’s all-star first baseman was seeking a contract of $500 million US — without deferrals — from the Jays before contract talks slammed to a halt last month.
According to a report by The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, the Jays final offer reached that $500-million plateau, but was rejected by the Vlad camp because of deferrals that would have “diminished” its value to between $400-$450 million in present-day dollars.
The New York Post reported the same dollar figure on Tuesday as the expected finally happened: Details of the Jays offer finally leaked out.
Guerrero and his teammates for the most part seem determined to go about their business of preparing for the season here, while the story of his imminent exit from the team is becoming a dominant one in the baseball world.
There may not be a pennant race in 2025. There may not be a wildcard race. And there may or may not be a winning season. But the Guerrero saga — yes, it has already reached that billing — is guaranteed to be compelling viewing.
As Rosenthal noted, a contract of $500-million US in present-day value would be the second richest in baseball history, trailing only the 15-year, $765-million US deal Juan Soto signed with the Mets this winter.
According to Rosenthal’s calculations, the $700-million US contract Shohei Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 has a present-day valuation of $460.8-million US.
It was only a matter of time before details of the Jays’ offer to Guerrero emerged given how much the front office has been getting hammered by fans in the aftermath of the break-off of talks. There will certainly be an element of the fan base that will be more sympathetic to general manager Ross Atkins with word that Guerrero turned down $500 million, even if it was with deferrals.
The all-star first baseman, who turns 26 this weekend, had set the start of full-squad training camp (Feb. 18) as the last time he’d talk salary with the Jays.
With no deal in place, the road is paved for Guerrero to walk to free agency at the end of the 2025 season.
And the deeper the rift becomes, the more you have to wonder if either side truly aspires to get a deal done here. From the Jays perspective, it certainly seems clear that they have a ceiling that they won’t push through.
The latest reports suggest that the Guerrero camp, meanwhile, is certainly indicating it’s fine to test the free-agent waters, betting that another big year from the Jays’ home-grown star would get him at least what the Jays have offered next winter. In the meantime, as Guerrero has carried himself as usual throughout training camp — and indeed looks as fit and strong as he has at any point in his young career — his teammates are going about their business, impressed with what they see.
“He has to be in the top three in the league,” Guerrero’s new teammate Anthony Santander said in an interview on Tuesday.
“He has a really good work ethic. Sometimes you play and you see a guy has talent and you don’t know how he works. At this level, talent isn’t enough. You have to maintain your work and have a great routine. He does all of that.”
Still, even if the on-the-field business stays calm, the possibility for a circus-like environment around the team exists. In the first month of the season, for example, the Jays have road trips to both Boston and New York where the Red Sox and Yankees, respectively, are prospective bidders for Guerrero in free agency.