Last Monday at 9 p.m., the deadline for the Toronto Blue Jays to extend Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came and went with no deal being reached. Guerrero told reporters that the Jays would have to compete with the 29 other teams in the MLB if they wanted to sign the second-generation superstar.
The 2021 AL MVP runner up has been consistently great over the past four years. His 2021 season was remarkable, and he would have run away with the MVP award if Shohei Ohtani did not exist. Guerrero led the American League in runs scored, home runs, on base percentage, slugging and OPS+. In 2024, the first baseman finished one hit shy of 200 for the season and accumulated 6.2 WAR. The righty also hit 30 home runs for the third time in the past four seasons. Both seasons resulted in Guerrero winning the Silver Slugger Award. He also picked up the Gold Glove Award at first base in 2022.
There are plenty of teams rumored to be interested in the soon-to-be 26-year-old slugger. With his next contract estimated to be worth over $500 million, Guerrero will be the prime target on the market this offseason if he decides to part ways with Toronto.
The two most mentioned teams for Vladdy in free agency are the Boston Red Sox and the New York Mets. These teams both have superstars hailing from the Dominican Republic, the place where his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., was born.
Rafael Devers is locked in long-term with Boston and is known friends with Vladdy. This move would require one of them to permanently be at first base, and something would have to be done with Triston Casas, currently at first for the Sox. There were rumors this offseason about Casa being potentially traded to the Mariners in exchange for one of their high-end pitchers. Guerrero has already hit moonshots over the Green Monster as an opponent, including a 471-foot home run over the monster last season. Having 81 games at Fenway Park, every season would boost his numbers even more.
The newly acquired Juan Soto will be a cornerstone for the Mets over the course of the next decade. With Pete Alonso only re-signing for two years, the future of the first baseman spot is still uncertain in Queens. Guerrero could slide right behind his counterpart from the DR in the Mets lineup, along with Francisco Lindor.
A team that looked like they would never be in play for Vladdy has joined the conversation as of last weekend. The New York Yankees, a team Guerrero previously said he would never join, seem to be a realistic option in free agency. This offseason saw the Yankees ink Paul Goldschmidt to a one-year deal while also trading for Cody Bellinger. Goldschmidt will assume first base duties this season, with Bellinger also able to play first if necessary. This leaves a hole next season with Guerrero as a possible replacement candidate.
The four-time all-star called his reluctancy to sign with the Yankees “in the past” in an interview with the New York Post, leaving the door open for all 30 teams, including the Bronx Bombers. After failing to resign Soto this offseason and missing out on Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki these past two off seasons, New York must put everything they have on the table to try and sign Guerrero.
A trade at the July deadline cannot be ruled out as a possibility. If Toronto is nowhere near the playoff picture in a highly competitive AL East, they would presumably have no issue moving on from Guerrero, assuming they will not retain him in the offseason. We saw Soto get traded from the Nationals to the Padres a few years ago, so a superstar like Vladdy getting dealt is not impossible.
No matter what team he suits up for in 2026, this season will be crucial for Guerrero and his future.