How Mets fans may have caused Blue Jays to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to extension

Before first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500M contract extension to stay with the Toronto Blue Jays in April 2025, numerous stories linked him with a New York Mets team that had fan-favorite Pete Alonso at the position. 

Interestingly, the Mets' home opener last spring featured none other than the Blue Jays as an opponent. When the players were introduced, Guerrero received a warm greeting from the Citi Field faithful.

During a recent chat with Yancen Pujols, Guerrero suggested that moment in Queens may have sparked the Blue Jays into action. 

Does Vladimir Guerrero Jr. owe Mets fans for staying with Blue Jays?

"During the whole process, I started thinking, maybe this isn’t such a bad idea after all," Guerrero said about possibly joining the Mets, per Manny Gomez of NJ Advance Media. "But it was that moment, seeing the fans go absolutely wild for me against the Mets, that sealed it. That’s when the final offer came through." 

Thus far, Guerrero putting pen to paper on his deal has worked out rather well. He got paid and was later named the 2025 American League Championship Series Most Valuable Player as he helped the Blue Jays complete a trip to the World Series. Meanwhile, the Mets missed the playoffs last season before they let the previously mentioned Alonso reach free agency. In December, Alonso and the Baltimore Orioles agreed to a five-year, $155M deal. 

Were Mets interested in signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.?

"What really opened their eyes was the trip to Citi Field," Guerrero added about receiving a desired offer from the Blue Jays. "On Opening Day, when I was introduced, the crowd erupted in a huge ovation. I’d been hearing whispers from players, not necessarily from the Mets, but around the league that if I ever hit free agency, the Mets and Padres were the two teams most interested in signing me. There were even rumors that if things didn’t work out in Toronto with the Blue Jays, I’d get traded, possibly to the Mets or somewhere else." 

Of course, outsiders may never know if Mets owner Steve Cohen and team president of baseball operations David Stearns would have shown Guerrero the money had the 26-year-old hit the open market. If nothing else, this story is one of several "what ifs" hovering over the Mets in the early days of spring training.