Deal Removes Star Player from Next Offseason's Free-Agent Market
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached a historic agreement on a $500 million, 14-year contract set to begin in 2026, according to a source familiar with the negotiations. The deal, which was disclosed to The Associated Press on Monday, eliminates what would have been the biggest star from the upcoming free-agent pool.
The anonymous source revealed that Guerrero's contract does not involve any deferred payments. The young first baseman had previously signed a $28.5 million one-year deal in January to avoid arbitration, and had indicated that he would not engage in further negotiations after reporting to spring training in February. However, discussions with his agent persisted throughout the regular season.
Guerrero's $500 million agreement ranks as the third-largest in total value, trailing outfielder Juan Soto's $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets and two-way star Shohei Ohtani's $700 million, 10-year deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers. With an average annual value of $35.71 million, Guerrero now holds the eighth-highest contract among current players.
The son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, the 26-year-old Blue Jays standout would have entered free agency at a young age this fall. Guerrero boasts a career batting average of .277 with 160 home runs and 511 RBIs. Although he has yet to hit a home run in the current season, he is off to a strong start with four RBIs in the first 10 games.
In their quest for a World Series title, Toronto has made significant roster additions, including agreements with outfielder Anthony Santander, right-hander Max Scherzer, and reliever Jeff Hoffman. Despite these moves, shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star, remains eligible for free agency after the upcoming World Series.
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