Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays first baseman, recently shared that the contract extension proposal his team presented was much lower than Juan Soto’s deal with the New York Mets. In fact, it didn’t even hit $600 million.
Negotiations between Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays stalled before spring training, which means he might hit free agency this November.
In a chat with ESPN, Guerrero Jr. clarified the situation. He stated that his salary expectations were not on the same level as Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract. “It’s much less than Soto,” he said. “We’re talking about a lot fewer millions—more than a hundred million less. The last number we gave them didn’t reach 600.” He mentioned that while he was asking for a similar length of contract, it was not close to the amounts Soto received.
Guerrero Jr. is open to different contract lengths, expressing a desire for around 14 to 20 years, but he wants to ensure it aligns with his value. “I know the business,” he noted. He indicated that he had already lowered his salary demands a bit and was also willing to adjust the years he was asking for.
Despite the unsuccessful negotiations, Guerrero Jr. remains focused on the upcoming season, which is the last year of his current deal. “We had discussions about salary figures until the last day. Unfortunately, we couldn’t reach an agreement. But I’m not going to change how I work just because of that,” he explained.
As for his performance in spring training, Guerrero Jr. is off to a great start, boasting a .412 batting average and a 1.121 OPS, with one home run and three RBIs over seven games.
This news highlights the challenges star athletes face in contract negotiations, balancing their worth and future aspirations while staying committed to their teams.
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