BOSTON — Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s contract saga reached a historical conclusion early Monday morning when he and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $500-million, 14-year extension that’s pending a physical, according to an industry source.
There’s no deferred money in the deal, which means once completed, it will be the second-richest contract in baseball history, entirely recasting the franchise’s trajectory while further driving up the price for elite young talent industry-wide.
In terms of present value, Guerrero’s looming windfall will trail only Juan Soto’s $765-million, 15-year record deal from the New York Mets, and jump ahead of Shohei Ohtani’s $700-million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, which nets out closer to $460 million, depending on how the deferrals are discounted.
The stunning sum is the result of negotiations that resumed quietly last week after the sides hit a wall multiple times over the past two months, most notably before a Feb. 18 deadline set by the four-time all-star, and again just before Opening Day.
Once finalized, the contract essentially buys out the rest of Guerrero’s career, after months of back-and-forth between the sides that gradually brought them together.
The commitment also doubles Miguel Cabrera’s $248-million, eight-year deal from the Detroit Tigers for the biggest guarantee ever given to a first baseman, and is more than three times the largest deal previously handed out by the Blue Jays, George Springer’s $150 million over six years.
Here’s a look at the largest contracts in team history:
|
Player |
Contract |
Type |
|
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. |
$500M, 14 years |
Extension |
|
George Springer |
$150M, six years |
Free agent |
|
Jose Berrios |
$131M, seven years |
Extension |
|
Vernon Wells |
$126M, seven years |
Extension |
|
Kevin Gausman |
$110M, five years |
Free agent |
|
Andres Gimenez |
$96.5M, five years |
Trade |
|
Anthony Santander |
$92.5M, five years |
Free agent |
Guerrero, 26, would have been eligible for free agency after the season, heading into the market selling peak years from age 27 onwards.
Instead, he’ll help stabilize a competitive window under immense threat from his potential departure, as well as the pending free agencies of Bo Bichette, Max Scherzer, Chris Bassitt, Chad Green and Erik Swanson this fall. The contracts of Springer, Kevin Gausman, Daulton Varsho and Yimi Garcia run through 2026, while Jose Berrios’ deal runs through 2028 with an opt-out after ’26.
Guerrero’s contract, which runs through 2039, comes on the heels of a $58-million, five-year extension for Alejandro Kirk, helping to establish a new longer-term core that also includes Andres Gimenez and Anthony Santander.
