Vladimir Guerrero Jr. turned down a contract offer in excess of $500 million from the Toronto Blue Jays, with enough deferred money to lower the present-day value. According to The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal, Guerrero indicated he was open to accepting deferrals if the contract value remained at $500 million.
Had Guerrero accepted the offer, he might have surpassed Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, it would have fallen short of Juan Soto’s remarkable $765 million deal, which includes no deferred money and could potentially exceed $800 million with escalators.
Guerrero decided to end contract negotiations with the Blue Jays at the beginning of spring training, setting a deadline to secure a deal before he enters free agency next season. In an interview with ESPN, Guerrero expressed his desire for a contract similar in length to Soto’s but at a lower value.
“It’s much less than Soto. We’re talking about many fewer millions than Soto, more than a hundred million less. … It was the same number of years [as Soto’s contract], but it didn’t reach [$600 million]. The last number we gave them as a counteroffer didn’t reach 600,” Guerrero said.
“I know the business. I lowered the salary demands a bit, but I also lowered the number of years. … I’m looking for 14 [years]. I would like 14, 15, even 20 if they give them to me, but doing it the right way.”
Guerrero is anticipated to be one of the top free agents next winter, alongside Kyle Tucker and Dylan Cease.
Although Guerrero hasn’t consistently performed at the level of other players with mega-contracts, he possesses one of the highest offensive potentials in baseball and will enter free agency at a similar age to Soto, which is crucial in contract negotiations.
Deferred money is becoming common in mega-contracts in MLB, with players like Bobby Bonilla, Max Scherzer, and Shohei Ohtani leading the trend. Teams utilize deferred payments to manage their payroll and avoid luxury tax, while players benefit from receiving the agreed-upon amount with the option of a signing bonus.
Teams, including the Dodgers, have embraced deferred money strategies, and this trend is likely to continue in MLB until any potential issues arise.