MLB Rumors: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays Were 'About $50M' Apart in Contract Talks
The Toronto Blue Jays were reportedly $3.5 million per year away from reaching compromise with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. this offseason.
The Blue Jays and Guerrero's camp were "about $50 million apart" on a 14-year deal at the first baseman's self-imposed negotiation deadline of Feb. 18, according to ESPN's Buster Olney.
Per Olney, Guerrero was seeking an extension worth about $35 million per season in present value.
Guerrero is currently set to hit free agency in November.
He told ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez on March 6 he had sought less than $600 million in his final counteroffer to the Blue Jays.
Guerrero said his camp had been seeking 15 years but for "much less than Soto," who inked a $765 million deal with the New York Mets this offseason. Soto's deal included no deferred money, per ESPN's Jeff Passan.
The New York Post's Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman reported Tuesday the Blue Jays' final offer had been worth approximately $500 million but with "significant deferrals" that lowered the estimated value to between $400 million and $450 million. Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reported the value as $450 million.
According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, Guerrero had been seeking $500 million "in present value" without deferrals.
As pointed out by Olney, the Blue Jays reportedly made it to the "shortlist of finalists" to sign Soto by making him an offer worth something under $700 million, per Sportsnet's Davidi and Ben Nicholson-Smith.
It is not clear, however, if the Blue Jays' reported offer for Soto included deferred money. His agent, Scott Boras, said after Soto's signing that "teams suggested" deferred money but that it was "never a track we followed."
The Dodgers' historic use of deferred pay, which has left the franchise on the hook for more than $1 billion in deferred money through 2046, has allowed the defending World Series champions to build a star-studded roster.
It sounds like attempting a similar tactic in Toronto may lead to the franchise parting ways from their superstar first baseman ahead of his age-27 season. Guerrero's price could rise by this fall if he is able to record a fifth straight All-Star season.
