Vladdy Going To Free Agency
Photo: Toronto Blue Jays
The Toronto Blue Jays and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. did not reach an agreement on an extension before his Tuesday deadline on contract negotiations.
The 25-year-old first baseman, who’s entering the final year of his current deal, said he does not plan to continue talks now that he has arrived at camp.
The developments pave the way for Guerrero to become a free agent this fall.
“The last couple days, the front office, my lawyers, my agents, they met, both (sides) tried but obviously we couldn’t get an agreement,” Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron.
Guerrero did not get into specifics of the talks but did say the Blue Jays were not close to the dollar figure he was looking for.
“We never got to the point where I felt like I wanted to do the deal,” he said.
Guerrero would be one of the biggest names available if he were to hit the open market after the World Series.
Guerrero has been a key offensive cog in the Toronto lineup in recent years. He hit .323 last season with 30 homers and 103 RBIs.
“We worked very hard and the motivation is still there,” said Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins. “I’m confident that every thought, idea we had — every dollar that we had — was communicated. But we’re obviously disappointed to not have gotten that done.
“It doesn’t change our desire. We will certainly be motivated and remain motivated.”
Like many position players, Guerrero normally arrives well before deadline day to begin working out and participating in early training sessions. This year, he worked out at a private gym in nearby Tampa.
The lack of an extension was another blow for a Blue Jays’ front office that missed out on superstar free agents Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto over the last two years.
Now it appears they will have to compete for Guerrero’s services with 29 other teams this fall.
(CP)
These two baffoons that run this team should be run out of town. They have done nothing to build this team. They bring in 40 yr old fossils that no one else wants.
After they lost out on Soto, Alonzo, and never really in on the Othani sweepstakes they thought they could sign Vladdy cheapy cheapy.
He will be gone along with Bichette and this team will sink like the titanic.
Atkins and Shapiro should be sent to the train station.
Those two Buffoons who run the Toronto Blue Jays could give SkRrs O’day plus Reynolds a run for their money as Klown🤡 Buffoons.
For his entire life Vladdy has known that he was going to be a baseball player somewhere in North America. Yet he still needs an interpreter? That’s dedication, eh. Have another piece of pie Vladdy.
He speaks good but not perfect English but media (Hazel Mae) has twisted his words when he did interviews in english earlier in his career. So now he uses the interpreter anytime a reporter is present.
Jeremy Oday would fit right in with the Blue Jays management!!
💯% he would, klown 3.