Toronto Blue Jays' contract situation with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is getting close to the end.

MLB Trade Rumors: Toronto Blue Jays' contract situation with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is getting close to the end.

After a hectic offseason, the Toronto Blue Jays were unable to sign two major free agents (Juan Soto and Roki Sasaki) and were forced to settle for Max Scherzer and Anthony Santander as consolation prizes. At the very least, they may be big moves for a team hoping to compete in the already challenging American League East, depending on how much Scherzer has left in the tank. 

However, their most significant offseason move may still be in the works.

Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. may be able to extend his contract before his self-imposed deadline to cease negotiations. 

Guerrero Jr. is about to enter the last year of his contract, and after the 2025 season, he will be a free agency. Additionally, he has stated that once he goes to spring training—which may happen as early as Tuesday—he will no longer engage in negotiations. 

General manager Ross Atkins stated Thursday that they have put a lot of effort toward keeping Guerrero and that they are determined to do so, according to the Associated Press (via ESPN). 

Additionally, it is crucial that the Blue Jays retain him. 

In addition to being the Blue Jays' finest player and mainstay, Guerrero Jr. is a star-caliber player in the peak of his career who has the potential to stay that way for many years to come. Additionally, he is a native player who was nurtured, acquired, and elevated to stardom by the Blue Jays. 

Finding a similar bat to take his spot in the center of their lineup will be very challenging if he departs. It also raises questions about whether the Blue Jays will retain him for the entire season if he enters the season unsigned.

However, the Blue Jays must be concerned about another aspect of this.

One of these major negotiations must be won. When it comes to elite athletes, they have continuously been a bridesmaid and have failed to sign the stars. They lost Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers after getting close to him. Before losing Juan Soto to the New York Mets, they were in on him. Before Roki Sasaki joined the Dodgers, they were a finalist for him. To everyone's amazement, they were unable to acquire Pete Alonso once he rejoined the Mets. 

It would be extremely difficult for ownership and the organization to recover in the eyes of the fans if they not only lose another significant negotiation but also lose a player they brought along and who became a star and fan favorite. Guerrero Jr. must remain. If they can do it, we'll know in the next several days.