Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays finalized their $500 million, 14-year contract that starts in 2026, a deal with a record $325 million signing bonus that protects the money from a possible work stoppage in 2027.
Toronto announced the deal Wednesday and scheduled a news conference for Monday at the Rogers Centre ahead of its next home game.
Before speaking about his new deal ahead of on Wednesday, Guerrero's thoughts were of his native Dominican Republic, where at least 98 people died and 160 were injured in the roof collapse at a nightclub.
鈥淚 want to send my condolences for those families that lost a loved one in that tragedy. ... That my heart, my soul is with my entire country right now,鈥� he said.
The 26-year-old Guerrero admitted there was a sense of relief in getting the long-term deal done.
鈥淚f I tell you that it鈥檚 not a big relief, I鈥檇 be lying to you," he said. "It鈥檚 always been my goal to be here. And I feel like I accomplished that, and I鈥檓 very, very happy to stay here and to be a Blue Jay.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 that hard. Like, I would say maybe, I was just trusting the process, every step with my family, my agents, my close ones. I mean, have faith, everything, the outcome was going to be good. So, I mean, trust, I was trusting everything. But thank God, it went well.鈥�
The signing bonus includes $20 million payable within 30 days of the agreement's approval by Major League Baseball. The remainder of the signing bonus is payable during the length of the contract.
鈥淭his is a monumental moment in franchise history," Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said in a statement. "Vlad has been part of our Blue Jays family since he was 16 years old and has captured the heart of our city and country. There are very few in the game today that can say they have played for more than two decades with the same team, and we are immensely grateful Blue Jays fans will get to see Vlad finish his career where it all began. The name Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will forever be synonymous with the Toronto Blue Jays.鈥�
, and the four-time All-Star first baseman had said he . Still, talks with his agent continued well into the regular season.
Guerrero got the third-largest contract in total dollars behind that started this season and two-way star that began last year and is heavily deferred.
Guerrero鈥檚 $35.71 million average annual value under the new deal ranks eighth among current contracts behind the agreements of Ohtani ($70 million), Soto ($51 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million), Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million), Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell ($36.4 million) and Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million).
Guerrero cited the Blue Jays organization as the reason he wanted to remain in Toronto.
鈥淚鈥檝e never seen an organization that鈥檚 a class organization as a family," he said. "It鈥檚 been 10, 11 years that we鈥檝e been here. I mean, like I say, this is family for me 鈥� the team, the city, the fans, it鈥檚 family. To tell you the truth, I wasn鈥檛 really feeling to go elsewhere and meet new people.
He said his own family played a role in his decision.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 one of the hardest ones right there 鈥� when your daughter comes to you and asks you 鈥楧addy, are we going to stay in Toronto?鈥� Knowing that your family really wants to stay in Toronto, that was (the main one). But, all along they really wanted to stay in Toronto and thank God it happened," he said.
Toronto general manager Ross Atkins heaped accolades on Guerrero.
鈥淛ust so powerful for the organization,鈥� Atkins said. "I think it鈥檚 monumental for Toronto and the game. A historic deal for what will be a historic player.
鈥淚 think he鈥檚 just getting started. He鈥檚 been already done tremendous things thus far as an individual, and with this team. He鈥檚 going to continue to do those things.鈥�
A son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, the Blue Jays star would have been a free agent this fall at a relatively young age. The elder Guerrero shared some advice with his son: 鈥淭o trust God. My dad told me to trust God and to try to get the last penny that I could from the organization.鈥�
The younger Guerrero is a .287 career hitter with 160 homers and 511 RBIs. He is batting .255 with no homers and four RBIs in the first 12 games this season.
鈥淗e鈥檚 always been driven and he鈥檚 been pretty open about saying he wants to be as good or better than his dad, which is saying a lot,鈥� Toronto manager John Schneider said. 鈥淭hrilled for him and us, really. ... It鈥檚 really cool for him and it鈥檚 obviously enormously huge for the organization.鈥�
Seeking its first World Series title since winning championships in 1992 and 1993, Toronto notably failed to land Ohtani, Soto and Roki Sasaki. The Blue Jays agreed to a ; a ; and a .
Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star, remains eligible for free agency after this year鈥檚 World Series.
Guerrero's deal leaves Kyle Tucker and Pete Alonso among the top players eligible for free agency this offseason.
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