Blue Jays Exec Makes Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Prediction That Could Impact Red Sox

Those hoping to see Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in a Boston Red Sox uniform next season probably groaned Thursday when Toronto Blue Jays president and CEO Mark Shapiro made clear his expectations for the All-Star slugger’s long-term future.

“I think we’re going to sign him,” Shapiro said, according to MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson. “I think we’re going to extend him.”

Guerrero is entering the final year of his contract with Toronto. The Blue Jays will likely make every effort to ensure he remains with the organization, but Guerrero initially imposed a deadline for an extension — the first day of spring training — and various reports since suggested the sides weren’t aligned on the value of his next contract.

That, coupled with tempered expectations for the Blue Jays after a last-place finish in 2024, had some wondering whether Toronto could trade its franchise cornerstone, whether before the upcoming campaign or closer to the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

Boston was floated as a potential landing spot, having offered a massive contract to Juan Soto this offseason before the outfielder signed with the New York Mets. The Red Sox could build an enticing trade package, thanks to one of the best farm systems in baseball, and have the financial flexibility to extend a lucrative long-term offer.

If the Red Sox can’t swing a trade for Guerrero — a scenario that admittedly feels unlikely, all things considered — the best-case scenario for Boston would be the 26-year-old first baseman hitting free agency after the 2025 campaign. Then, the Red Sox could evaluate whether he fits their overall vision and act accordingly.

For now, Shapiro and the Blue Jays remain in the driver’s seat, hopeful Guerrero’s seventh big-league season with Toronto isn’t his final year residing north of the border.

“The optimism is founded in the commonality of our position,” Shapiro told The Athletic’s Jayson Stark. “It’s nothing more than that. It’s not based on any new information, not on anything that’s transpired. It’s founded upon the fact that he wants to finish his career in a Blue Jays uniform, and we want him to be one of those rare players who sign (as an amateur), come to the big leagues and then play their whole career in one uniform.”

Guerrero, a four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner, finished second in American League MVP voting in 2021, a season in which he posted career-highs in home runs (41), RBIs (111), OPS (1.002) and OPS+ (167). He’s coming off a 2024 in which he slashed .323/.396/.544 with 30 homers and 103 RBIs.