Insider Says Vladimir Guerrero Should Temper Expectations on Extension $$ With Blue Jays

Yes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is still a Toronto Blue Jay now that the trade deadline has come and gone. And he is one of—if not THE—hottest hitter in baseball. In the past month, he has 11 homers, 34 RBIs, a .376 average and an 1.189 OPS. Pretty good timing for him to close out this season with such a run, with an extension on the horizon this winter, as he is set to enter his final year of team control.

Some crazy numbers have been thrown around for a potential contract, but baseball insider Jeff Passan says we shouldn't get too carried away for the first baseman. In fact, while grouping Vladdy with another huge free agent 1B this winter, Passan says that neither of them should expect to crack the $300 million mark in total value.

"There will not be a first baseman getting a $300+ million contract. Period."
@JeffPassan, @SNJeffBlair & Kevin Barker project figures and share comparables for a potential Vlad Guerrero Jr. extension. #TOTHECORE pic.twitter.com/A5ui7Nivs8
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"You don't give a first baseman a blank check," says Passan, who then calls up the name of New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, an impending UFA as well.

"I don't know that the market for Alonso is going to be all that good. And I wonder if that is going to inform the Blue Jays when it comes to what they pay Vladdy? Or are they going to go to him and say, 'You are the guy we want to build around and we want to pay you like a franchise player.'

"Everybody tends to agree that first basemen don't have a whole lot of value because first base is where you play guys that can't play elsewhere..."

There will not be a first baseman getting a $300+ million contract. Period.

Now, one can certainly argue that Guerrero would have greater value than Alonso, given that he is almost 4 years younger than the Mets' slugger. Vladdy is just 25, Alonso is 29. In addition, to Passan's point about 1B being guys who can't play elsewhere on the field, that doesn't completely fit with Guerrero, who can, and has, also played some third base.

Given all of that, plus a vastly superior hit tool (Vlad has a career .284 average to Alonso's .250, Vlad has a .358 OBP to Pete's .339), Guerrero will be able to demand a larger deal than Alonso.

It should be very interesting to watch all of this unfold.