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Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the Toronto Blue Jays infielder, will become a free agent after the 2025 MLB season. Despite both Guerrero and the Blue Jays expressing interest in a long-term deal, negotiations were paused before Spring Training. Guerrero, who finished sixth in American League MVP voting, has a career OPS+ of 137, ranking 10th among active hitters. At just 26 years old, the four-time All-Star is looking for a contract that he claims Toronto never came close to offering (according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan).

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reported that Guerrero is seeking $500 million in present value, not including deferred payments. The New York Post mentioned that Toronto did propose a deal worth around $500 million in total, but with significant deferrals. Shortly after this news broke, Guerrero shared a brief statement revealing that he plans to speak to the New York Yankees, among other teams, during his 2025 free agency. “Including the Yankees,” Guerrero told MLB reporter Yancen Pujols in Spanish.

https://x.com/TalkinYanks/status/1902401187019624868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1902401187019624868%7Ctwgr%5E814e8cf8c5bb9c8f630aca6829857d40fe75c1b4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fathlonsports.com%2Fmlb%2Ftoronto-blue-jays%2Fvladimir-guerrero-jr-sends-three-word-yankees-message-after-500-million-news

If the Blue Jays remain unwilling to meet Guerrero’s financial demands, it would likely open the door for the New York Yankees and other big-market teams to sign the 2022 Gold Glove winner. In a recent interview with Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Guerrero revealed that he once disliked the Yankees as a child, but has since moved past those feelings as free agency approaches.

“When I was a child with my dad, and like all (players’) kids I was in front of the dugout, and somebody from the Yankees told my dad that ‘You gotta take your kid (inside). You can’t be on the field,'” Guerrero recalled. “I felt bad. And it stuck with me.”

https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1893456272642457938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1893456272642457938%7Ctwgr%5E814e8cf8c5bb9c8f630aca6829857d40fe75c1b4%7Ctwcon%5Es1_c10&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fathlonsports.com%2Fmlb%2Ftoronto-blue-jays%2Fvladimir-guerrero-jr-sends-three-word-yankees-message-after-500-million-news

Leaving this behind him, Guerrero told Heyman, “If I go to free agency, every team – all 30 teams – are going to have the opportunity to sit down with (me), to talk to me. I’m OK with everything. It’s in the past.” Guerrero has now reiterated his willingness to meet with the Yankees after the 2025 season.