Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says Blue Jays ‘not even close’ to extension talks, sets deadline

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said the Toronto Blue Jays recently made him a $340 million offer that “isn’t even close to what we’re looking for,” adding during an interview Sunday in the Spanish-language Abriendo El Podcastthat he will cut off extension talks when spring training comes around.

The unusual candor from Guerrero — who also said the Blue Jays gave him a seven-year, $150 million offer after his monster 2021 finish as he finished second in the MVP race — suggests discussions aren’t progressing the way he’d like , especially in light of Juan Soto’s record 15-year, $765-million contract.

But by telling the Dominican show he does not want to discuss his contract when the team begins its full-squad training, there is a deadline for talks aimed at preventing him from becoming a free agent after the 2025 season.

The 25-year-old Guerrero has said several times that he would like to remain with the Blue Jays on a long-term contract, but negotiations have not met his financial expectations.

“Obviously things have happened,” Guerrero said in Spanish and translated into English by Sportsnet when asked why he hasn’t signed an extension with the Blue Jays. “But they haven’t reached the price that (I’m) looking for, not even close.”

Canadian-born, Dominican-raised Guerrero cemented his status as one of the best young hitters in baseball with a 2024 campaign in which he played in his fourth All-Star Game, was named an All-MLB first-team first baseman , won his second career Silver Slugger Award and finished sixth in AL MVP voting.

His first MVP-caliber year, in 2021, saw him finish second to Shohei Ohtani and draw an offer that would have kept the then-22-year-old north of the border through 2028.

“I heard that and told my (agent) I wasn’t interested,” Guerrero told hosts Vian Araujo and Ricardo Rodríguez. “It was a valid offer. After that, 2022 … nothing … 2023 … nothing.”

With Dominican star Soto signed to a record deal this offseason with the New York Mets, Guerrero ranks high among the next crop of high-profile names who aren’t locked in. The Blue Jays were among the teams vying to land Soto before he signed a record-breaking $765 million deal with the Mets without deferrals.

Guerrero did not address current negotiations, but he did confirm a report from former MLB player Carlos Baerga that the Blue Jays had approached him with an offseason offer.

“If you look at the numbers between Soto and me, in some of them Soto has an advantage over me,” Guerrero said. “So my (agent) compares the numbers and he got to a point and they haven’t gotten to that point.”

But if the Blue Jays get to that point before the team’s first full-squad practice, Guerrero said he’ll be “ready to go.”

— All quotes translated into English by Sportsnet