DUNEDIN — After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. confirmed the news that Blue Jays fans were dreading Tuesday morning, he walked into the team locker-room and put on his Toronto ball cap before making his way to the practice field.
Negotiations were complete, his deadline for a contract extension passing without a deal. It was time to begin preparing for a season that'll likely determine the direction of the only franchise he has ever known.
The homegrown superstar is a Blue Jay for now. Talks that failed to produce a long-term deal mean he may not be after this season.
"This is business. It's hard," Guerrero said via interpreter Hector Lebron. "They're trying to do their part and I tried to do my part. No hard feelings whatsoever."
The developments paved the way for the 25-year-old first baseman to become a free agent this fall. Guerrero set the deadline just before his arrival at the player development complex to prevent a season-long distraction.
Good luck with that. Every visit to high-profile markets like New York, Los Angeles and Boston will come with a fresh wave of media questions and local buzz on the potential of landing Guerrero — likely the free-agent plum next off-season — for 2026 and onward.
"The door is open and always will be open," Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said of potential future talks. "Now and throughout the free agency process.
"But the sole focus for him, for the organization and for the team right now is to have a winning championship season."
Neither side got into specifics on dollar figures. Guerrero offered a one-word reply when asked whether the team got close to meeting his number: "No."
“There really aren’t degrees of getting it done or not getting it done,” Shapiro said. “It’s either a done deal or not a done deal. The bottom line result is we’re disappointed we couldn’t get a deal done.”
Shapiro felt a "lot of progress" was made over the weekend. General manager Ross Atkins described the exchanges as "constructive and productive." Guerrero's deadline of 9 p.m. Monday was extended by another 90 minutes, he said, but the two sides couldn't quite get there.
"It went down to the absolute wire," Atkins said.
When staggered media availabilities were confirmed early Tuesday instead of a single news conference, it became clear this would not be a day of celebration.
"I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career," Guerrero said. "But it's free agency. It's business. I'm going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they're going to have to compete."
The Blue Jays were among the finalists for superstars Shohei Ohtani in 2023 and Juan Soto last fall. They would likely be among the potential suitors if Guerrero hits the open market, but competition is expected to be stiff.
A four-time all-star, 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 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 early in camp to begin workouts and 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 has taken some hits this off-season. Toronto did acquire infielder Andres Gimenez and signed closer Jeff Hoffman and slugger Anthony Santander, but was unable to get a true superstar's signature on a contract — either in-house or from outside the organization.
"The offers that we made for Vlad would have been (team) record-setting and would have made him one of the highest-paid players in the game," Atkins said. "So we were, in our view, very aggressive."
Guerrero made his big-league debut in 2019. In the four seasons since the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, he has averaged 34 homers and 101 RBIs a year.
Both sides are taking on risk by not getting a deal signed.
For the player, Guerrero's stock could drop if his numbers slip or he suffers a serious injury. Of course, another strong campaign would only pad his wallet even more down the road.
The Blue Jays run the risk of having him walk away for essentially nothing in return. If the team struggles in the first half, a sell-off of its veteran-heavy roster could trigger a rebuild.
However, it the club rebounds from its 74-88 campaign last year and returns to the playoffs, the future could be bright.
Whether Guerrero is involved in those long-term plans is now much more uncertain.
"Our only focus now is on winning with Vladdy," Shapiro said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 18, 2025.
Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press
