MLB Rumors: Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are getting farther apart
It's possible that the Toronto media will influence Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to leave the Blue Jays completely.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s price tag was too high for the Toronto Blue Jays to match before his spring training deadline. Despite being quoted by ESPN as saying that his asking price was significantly lower than Juan Soto's, Guerrero Jr. lacks Soto's upside and comprehensive strategy. Given that Ross Atkins would also need to build around him, the Blue Jays would be spending a lot of money on a player who only projects as a first baseman or DH in the future—$600 million.
I wish you luck in all of that. Guerrero Jr. will definitely test the free-agent market, but unless he has an AL MVP season (which is well within striking reach for Vladdy), he might find it more difficult to find a team that will pay that asking price than he anticipates.
Guerrero Jr. has every right to place his own wager, and it's highly likely that the Blue Jays will be interested in him and may extend their offer when he becomes a free agent. The way Guerrero Jr. has conducted himself during this process, however, has not been well received by some members of the Toronto media.
"For a player who has only performed well in two of six major league seasons, Guerrero's demand of far over $500 million seems unreasonable. The skill is undeniable, but with a lifetime on-base plus slugging percentage of.863, there are concerns over consistency, according to a piece by Gregor Chisholm of The Toronto Star.
The Blue Jays' hopes of acquiring Vladimir Guerrero Jr. were hampered by the Toronto media.
In defense of himself and The Star, Chisholm acknowledged that they had authored numerous articles urging the Blue Jays to retain Guerrero Jr. Additionally, he cautioned that the Jays' front staff alone is to blame for the possibility that the upcoming season may turn into a circus.
"With local reporters swarming to the Jays star, every road trip ran the risk of turning into a sideshow. He would eventually say the wrong thing to the wrong person, and it would blow up," Chisholm wrote. "Well, it’s not even opening day and those wheels are already in motion."
Naturally, the perception of a player or squad can be influenced by the media. The Star is not specifically disparaging Guerrero Jr. in this instance, but it is hurting the Blue Jays' chances of re-signing their greatest player, which is by no means the editorial board's responsibility.
Guerrero Jr. has made every effort to avoid becoming a distraction, but his remarks to ESPN earlier this week give the impression that he hasn't. It was best summed up in Chisholm's column, which Guerrero Jr. and the Jays might not like:
Guerrero is free to express his desire to avoid being a distraction. It is unavoidable for more than 500 million reasons.
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