THE Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Saga was always going to end two ways.
In a version of the end, Guerrero leaves, either via trade on the deadline of this year, or by signing with another team in free agency. The other version of the end was the alternative to the stories book, in which the Stays at local prospect for the next decade and more In the city, he helped bring back the relevance of baseball.
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Given how the last seasons have passed – and both parties ” Do not make an extension during the off -season – The first looked like much more likely. Because if this team has had a lot of media threw since 2020, Toronto has disappointed in the last five years, including three releases in the playoffs in the first round by scanning and missing the playoffs twice. Even worse than their record in the field, over the years, the Blue Jays have tried and have not signed brand -free agents, including Shohei Ohtani,, Sasaki Roki And Juan Soto. Meanwhile, the clock checked on their window to cope with the stop stop Bichette Bo And, more importantly, the first basic player Guerrero.
But on Sunday, the Blue Jays accomplished what many in the industry had started to think was impossible, Sign their 26 -year -old superstar to an extension of $ 500 million over 14 years This will probably keep Guerrero in a Blue Jays uniform for the rest of his career.
At a time in baseball, where many teams have decided to sit on their hands or let local stars pay to be someone else's prerogative, Blue Jays deserve a lot of credit for this extension.
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After having failed to derive in the biggest fish of Ohtani there are two offenses and Soto last winter, there was no way that Toronto could say that it was while winning as an organization while leaving its quadruple All-Star out. And after seeing how the Toronto front office has defeated and dined some of the largest baseball stars, there is no doubt that Guerrero wanted to feel wanted, refuse an offer of $ 500 million with reports Earlier this spring.
The deadline for expanding training in Guerrero's spring and its opening with the media on his desire to stay in Toronto Put all the pressure on the president of Blue Jays Mark Shapiro And the director general Ross Atkins. The star has created a feeling of emergency not only to make an extension, but also to prevent a dark potential cloud from looming all season. By signing Guerrero to an agreement of $ 500 million without a postponement – the second contract in the history of the MLB in terms of current value, after $ 765 million in Soto – the Blue Jays put their money where their mouth is with regard to their desire to win.
With this, Guerrero's extension begins a new chapter in Toronto. The team window closed quickly, accelerated by free agencies awaiting Guerrero and Bichette. But with warrero secure for the long term, the Jays pushed their window back as they try to build around their first superstar player during the duration of this agreement.
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The team has already added reinforcements last winter, signing a voltiseur Anthony Santander a contract of $ 92.5 million over five years and at the signing of the net Alejandro Kirk an extension of $ 58 million over five years. The Blue Jays currently have the fifth highest payroll in baseball, at $ 243.3 million, but in the next two years, with Bichette contracts, George Springer,, Chris Bassitt,, Max Scherzer And Kevin Gamman Expiring, they have great money that comes out of the books.
They will have to rebuild their starting rotation in the near future, but Blue Jays should have the resources to increase their list and stay afloat in a competitive American league in the East with the centerpiece of their long -term range.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will be in Toronto for the rest of his MLB career.
(Grant Thomas / Yahoo Sports)
The biggest image, the new Vladdy agreement will have a training effect in the rest of baseball. Guerrero had to be the best free agent available this winter to come. This title now moves to the right defender of cubs Kyle TuckerWho except an extension of his own will be a free agent at the end of the season. Tucker, 28 years old, is two years older than Guerrero, but this agreement still establishes the market for what Tucker could receive.
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At the same time, Guerrero's contract is one of the first of this magnitude, with Soto, who does not include deferred money. The theme of postponements has become a point of contention thanks to the recent expenses with recent characteristics of Los Angeles Dodgers, specifically differing $ 680 million of $ 700 million in Ohtani until the increase in its agreement. Some players and teams with strong feelings about this organizational strategy, reports are very likely to be treated in the next collective agreement between MLB and MLBPA.
In the end, Guerrero and the Blue Jays were always going to be better together than they would have been, but history has shown that it does not always mean that this happens in this way. Fortunately, in this case, Vlady asked the organization to intensify and give it priority, and Toronto was not hiding behind the front-office policy or the implications of competitive imbalance.
No, the Blue Jays lowered their heads and made the extension. In doing so, they gave their organization a new life for the next decade. Of course them.
