Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays have reached an agreement on a massive 14-year contract worth $500 million, starting in 2026. This deal secures the star first baseman, preventing him from becoming a free agent next offseason.
Guerrero, who had previously agreed to a $28.5 million, one-year deal in January to avoid arbitration, had announced he wouldn’t engage in contract talks after reporting to spring training in mid-February. However, negotiations continued well into the regular season.
This contract ranks as the third-largest in MLB history, following outfielder Juan Soto’s $765 million, 15-year deal with the New York Mets and two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Guerrero’s $35.71 million average annual value places him eighth among current contracts, behind Ohtani, Soto, Phillies 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).
At 26 years old, Guerrero, the son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, has been a consistent performer with a .277 career batting average, 160 home runs, and 511 RBIs. So far this season, he’s hitting .256 with no home runs and four RBIs through 10 games.
The Blue Jays, aiming for their first World Series title since 1993, had also pursued big names like Ohtani, Soto, and Roki Sasaki but ultimately secured key signings including outfielder Anthony Santander ($92.5 million over five years), right-hander Max Scherzer ($15.5 million for one year), and reliever Jeff Hoffman ($33 million for three years).
Shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star, will remain eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.
