In a massive move for the Toronto Blue Jays, the team has reached an agreement with star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on a groundbreaking 14-year contract.
This deal, valued at an astonishing $500 million, will keep Guerrero with the Blue Jays for the entirety of his career, pending a routine physical.
What’s even more impressive is that none of the payment is deferred, a crucial point in the deal according to ESPN.
A Major Commitment to the Star Player
This new contract will officially begin in 2026, following Guerrero’s one-year, $28.5 million deal in January that helped avoid arbitration.
This makes the agreement the second largest in Major League Baseball history, trailing only behind Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million deal with the New York Mets.
While Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers is considered a lower value by many analysts due to deferred payments, Guerrero’s deal stands as a monumental statement from the Blue Jays about their commitment to him.
Guerrero’s Performance and Team’s Outlook
Guerrero, now 26, has been a key player for the Blue Jays, hitting 30 home runs last season.
However, he has yet to get his first home run of 2025, even though the news of his huge contract deal has come right after the team was swept by the Mets in a three-game series in New York.
Despite the slow start, the new contract reflects the team’s determination to keep their star player rather than let him test the free-agent market after this season.
Earlier in the year, Guerrero had expressed frustration with the ongoing contract negotiations and made it clear that he was prepared to enter free agency in 2025 if the talks didn’t meet his expectations.
Speaking at spring training in February, Guerrero explained that although both sides had tried, an agreement had not been reached, emphasizing that it was just business.
Despite this, he was open to signing a long-term deal to stay with the Blue Jays, something that the front office has now delivered on.
Guerrero’s Passion for Winning and Family Legacy
In addition to his career with the Blue Jays, Guerrero has always been driven by his desire to win a World Series, something that his father, the Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., was unable to achieve.
Guerrero Jr. has openly stated that his personal goal is to win a World Series and present the championship ring to his father.
With this new contract, it seems the Blue Jays are determined to help him achieve that dream, aiming to secure another championship for the team after their back-to-back World Series victories in 1992 and 1993.
As the Blue Jays sit at a 5-5 record, a bit behind the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox in the American League East, Guerrero’s commitment to the team signals a bright future.
The team will face the Red Sox in Boston on Monday for a crucial four-game series.
Fans are hopeful that with Guerrero firmly in place for the long term, the Blue Jays will have a strong foundation for years to come.
