The Toronto Blue Jays are playing chicken with the wrong guy. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is a year away from his free agency, and should he choose, he could make Juan Soto-like money on the open market.
Thankfully for Toronto, Guerrero Jr. sounds open to signing an extension before that happens. Vladdy has discussed said extension with the Blue Jays front office and – these are his words not mine – he is "ready to go" on a long-term deal. If only it were the simple. Money, as always, will be the holdup between the two sides. Guerrero Jr.'s reps likely think he deserves a $500 million contract, especially after the $765 million deal Soto just signed.
Vlad Jr. is just 25 years old, after all, and coming off a 6.4 WAR season. He is one of the best bats in baseball, and were he in a traditional American media market, would be a household name in the states.
Assuming the Blue Jays front office messes this up – and that's not a bad assumption considering Ross Atkins is in charge – the looming battle for Guerrero Jr. could get rather intense and uncomfortable for Toronto. The New York Yankees and New York Mets figure to be involved, as they typically are.
The Yankees need a long-term solution at both first base and third base, which are Guerrero Jr.'s prime positions. After losing out on Soto, the Bronx Bombers have money to spend and should be able to afford Vlad Jr. next winter.
As for the Mets, Steve Cohen has an endless supply of capital. Would he be willing to spend more than $1 billion on two players? I wouldn't put it past him. Soto and Guerrero Jr. are also friends, and would have played on the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team together if not for an injury to the latter.
Frankly, a New York bidding war sounds far more likely than Guerrero Jr. signing an extension before he hits the open market. Heck, he'd be leaving millions on the table to stay in Toronto. The Blue Jays have an uphill climb to keep their star, and it starts this winter.
