Jeff Passan: 'Vladimir Guerrero Jr. turned down a lot of money, like a lot'

We won’t know how much the Jays offered until the numbers get leaked – if they ever do. One thing that is known is that it’s quite hard to pin down Guerrero Jr.’s value. Yes, he’s coming off a season where he slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 home runs in 697 plate appearances, with his 165 wRC+ being the sixth-best in the league. Sure, he’s had another MVP-calibre season in 2021 when he slashed .311/.401/.601 with 48 home runs in 698 plate appearances for a 166 wRC+.

However, his 2022 can be considered good as he had a 132 wRC+, while his 2023 season, at least by his standards, was dismal as he only had a 118 wRC+ and a 1.3 fWAR. Add in the fact he’s a first baseman and suddenly offering Guerrero Jr. a blank cheque may be a little much, even if they potentially lose him for a measly fourth-round pick.

Of course, if everything goes wrong like in the 2024 season when they finished with a 74-88 record, the Jays could move him and many others before the 2025 trade deadline. Although Guerrero Jr. would be on an expiring deal, you have to imagine a playoff contender would give up a good haul to land the superstar first baseman.

Hopefully, it doesn’t come to the Blue Jays needing to sell at the 2025 trade deadline. They’ve made some nice additions, adding a true power-hitter in Anthony Santander, an infield defensive specialist in Andrés Giménez, rebuilding their bullpen with the additions of Jeff Hoffman, Nick Sandlin, and Yimi García, and adding a two-time World Series winner in Max Scherzer.

Either way, the 2025 season for the Blue Jays will be an interesting one.