Breaking: Guerrero Jr.'s Demands & Blue Jays Final Extension Offer Revealed

Insiders Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman have revealed in the New York Post what their sources have told them was the final contract offer by the Toronto Blue Jays to pending free agent Vladimir Guerrero Jr., before the face of the franchise shut down the negotiations at the start of spring training last month.

Per Heyman and Sherman:

Toronto Blue Jays offered superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a deal for about $500 million before negotiations were halted last month— Although significant deferrals put an estimate of the actual net present value of the offer between $400 and $450 million.

But that wasn't enough. As reported by Ken Rosenthal in The Athletic today:

The number Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wants is $500 million.
Not $500 million before deferrals, but $500 million in present value, according to sources briefed on the first baseman’s contract negotiations with the Toronto Blue Jays.

On his arrival at Jays camp on Feb. 18th, the morning he shut down the talks, he was asked if he'd still be willing to listen to another offer from Toronto management if one was forthcoming this year. To which Vladdy responded, “I won’t close the door, if it’s a realistic offer.”

Are we to read into that then, if these new reports are correct, that a present-day value offer of about $400-$450 million, give or take, is not a "realistic" offer? It's $500 million or bust? That seems to be the gist of it.

Certainly, Guerrero's potential market value soared exponentially over the course of the last 12 months. Coming off a so-so year in 2023, Tim Britton of The Athletic had Vlad pegged then as deserving of a seven-year, $185 million extension. Apparently, the first baseman figures his value has gone up by $325 million.

In addition to his sensational 2024 season, Vladdy can thank Juan Soto (and his $765M extension this winter) for that.