Opinion | Vladimir Guerrero Jr. can’t wait to talk long-term deal with the Blue Jays: ‘I would love to play here my entire career’

There’s some important business to be taken care of first. But when the dust eventually settles on the 2022 season, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hopes the Blue Jays will sit down with his representatives to talk about a long-term contract extension.

Guerrero made his feelings known to reporter Héctor Gómez on Thursday, and the following day he reiterated that desire during an interview with the Star. The Jays’ franchise player also elaborated on why he has fallen in love with his adopted city, and how he feels about players of his calibre signing career-long deals.

His comments to Gómez went viral, but weren’t new. In Guerrero’s mind, nothing has changed. He was open to talking about an extension in the past and he hopes it will be a priority in the future, with free agency approaching after the 2025 season.

“Since I got to the big leagues, I’ve always felt that way,” the 23-year-old Guerrero told the Star through interpreter Hector Lebron. “Especially now when you start feeling the love from the fans and the city. I’ve always said that I would love to play here my entire career. I’m open for any conversation. We’ll see what happens.”

Guerrero’s contract situation has been a talking point since he arrived in Toronto. Even in 2019, with free agency more than six years away, that still seemed too short for a potential generational talent. Everyone knew he was the kind of player you didn’t want to let get away.

Since then, a lot of comparable stars have signed long-term deals: San Diego’s Fernando Tatís Jr. (14 years, $340 million U.S.); Seattle’s Julio Rodríguez ($209 million over 12 years) and Tampa Bay’s Wander Franco ($182 million over 11). Just prior to Guerrero’s debut, Atlanta’s Ronald Acuña Jr. got $100 million over eight.

Notably absent from that list are Guerrero and Bo Bichette, who came up through the minors at a similar time. To date, the bulk of the Jays’ long-term commitments have been made to free agents.

“To be honest with you I’m not thinking about that, what happens in other organizations,” said Guerrero, who entered Friday batting .278 with 28 homers and 84 RBIs. “I come here to work very hard every day and try to do my job. But of course, once you sign a long-term contract you feel secure, you feel great, and that’s what you want.”

It takes two to tango, and just because Guerrero wants to get something done doesn’t mean it will. His top priority is on the field. He leaves the business side to Magnus Sports.

Asked if Guerrero and the Jays spent much time trying to sign a new contract in previous off-seasons, he said, “We haven’t really talked about it.” Whether that’s true or not, it’s logical to assume the Jays have at least discussed the parameters. It would be reckless not to, and it’s something the front office has spoken about in general terms before.

“I think the one thing that might get left out of the public discourse is that it’s not a unilateral decision,” Jays president Mark Shapiro told Sportsnet’s Blair & Barker podcast earlier this month. “We’re not making a decision to sign any individual player long term. It’s a relationship between the player and organization and it’s ultimately about sharing risk.”

Guerrero has always been in a position to assume more financial risk than some of his peers. Like Bichette, he’s the son of a former big-league star who was well paid throughout his career. Neither one was desperate to strike it rich early because their families already had comfortable lives.

Because of that safety net, Guerrero and Bichette could afford to bet on themselves. If things worked out, one day they’d be in position to sign a record-breaking deal; if not, they still would have found a way to pay the bills. There was no need to give the Jays a premature discount just for the sake of getting something done.

There’s also a comfort level for Guerrero to consider. He enjoys his teammates, he’s optimistic about the organization’s future and he’s appreciated the return to Canada, where he was born and his father once played. That doesn’t mean he will come cheap, but it’s clear he does want to stay.

“It’s the respect that the fans and people have for you,” Guerrero said. “I can walk down the street, they look at me, they know it’s me, they admire me. But sometimes for some reason you cannot take a picture or sign an autograph and they respect that. Some other cities, they kind of get upset. But here, I love that from the fans. I love the people here.”

Without knowing the specifics of what Guerrero’s agent wants, it’s easy to sit here and say the Jays should do whatever it takes to sign him. A contract that would keep Guerrero in Toronto for the bulk of his career is something everyone would love to see, fans and front office included.

The talks aren’t going to be easy, but it’s noteworthy that Guerrero hasn’t taken the same approach as Juan Soto, whose open desire to test free agency played a role in his eventual trade from Washington to San Diego.

Guerrero views it differently. But the closer he gets to free agency, the more risk there is that opinion will change.

The clock is ticking, and with a little more than three years until Guerrero’s team control expires, one of the club’s top priorities this winter should be locking up its franchise star before it’s too late.

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