Toronto Blue Jays’ star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. making some shocking revelations, came as a surprise for many. He is a prominent asset for the team with his excellent agility, playing 819 games for the Blue Jays and tallying 3145 at-bats with an impressive average of .288. However, the Blue Jays have not shown the same interest they had shown when signing Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto. A former baseball player turned sports broadcaster Kevin Frandsen suggested the Blue Jays to keep Guerrero Jr. so that he does not enter the free agency.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. publicly expressed that the contract extension was not even close to what he expected. Despite being the face of the franchise for a long time, the Blue Jays not making a good offer remains a surprise for many. Nevertheless, Vladimir expressed his willingness to sign immediately if the Blue Jays presented him with the exact figure he proposed. Before he reaches free agency, the Blue Jays must retain him; otherwise, it could result in a substantial loss for the team.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. deserves a lot better from the Blue Jays

Kevin Frandsen said on MLB Network Radio “I just—I think the world of him, I do. And I think, for the Blue Jays, it would be huge to retain him. The part that I love is that he’s openly talked about how he just wants to be there. He loves it there. And they’ve gotta find a way.” Kevin, being a baseball player himself, knows the importance of a player of Vladimir’s caliber on the team. He praised his dynamic ability and the way he played for 3 straight months with over 15 extra base heads, and great blade speed, too. Kevin even mentioned that the Blue Jays need to treat him similarly and show adequate love just as they showed for Juan Soto and Ohtani. He suggested that they don’t need to pay a huge amount of dollars, however, that must not be significantly less as well.  

After signing Juan Soto for $765 million and Shohei Ohtani for $700 million, it is likely that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sees himself as an expensive option too. Based on the reports coming from a Spanish-language podcast, Vladimir does not want to negotiate a new contract with the Blue Jays after the spring training. As of now, the deal seems to be hanging on a thread with the team not offering what he wants, expected to be more than $500 million. However, it is quite evident that he might fetch a better amount if he enters the free agency trade. The New York Yankees gave some hints of him to be the main target alongside Kyle Tucker.

Guerrero Jr. and Kyle Tucker are probable targets of New York Yankees

With news coming of Vladimir declining the offer made by the Blue Jays that was way beyond what he expected, he seems to be a prime target for the New York Yankees. A top insider, Jim Bowden, shared his opinion about the Yankees having enough flexibility to get new players like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Kyle Tucker on board. Paul Goldschmidt’s aging decline can be a major reason why they have been looking for them as free agents for the next offseason.

A lot of speculations are going around about them being the prime targets. If they sign Guerrero Jr., he could play at the first baseman position. Tucker, on the other hand, could strengthen the defense and improve the base running, ensuring that the Yankees have a balanced lineup. However, one thing that surprised everyone is that they might look to bring Nolan Arenado as well into the team following the signing of Goldschmidt.

As Paul and Arenado used to play together and share a strong bond, the Yankees’ signing Paul might have a strong influence on Nolan. It might further push him to waive the no-trade clause and get into the free agency. This would increase the chances for the Yankees to make some notable additions to the team. However, if the rumours are to be believed, the Yankees have not yet made any offer for Arenado yet. Which team, according to you, might have an upper hand in acquiring Arenado? Do share your opinions below.