Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. scored a big offseason win — at the expense of his team's pockets. That's after arbitrators ruled in his favor, which means that Toronto will have to pay him $19.9 million for the 2024 MLB season, per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.
“Arbitrators rule in favour of Vladimir Guerrero Jr., per source. He will earn $19.9m from the Blue Jays this season.”
That amount is over a million more than what the Blue Jays originally wanted to pay the first baseman. Toronto initially submitted a price of $18.05 million but it will now have to shell out more than that, with Guerrero winning his case. Guerrero and the Blue Jays will do it again before the 2025 MLB season, as he still has one more year left of arbitration eligibility before potentially hitting the free-agent market at the end of the 2026 campaign — unless, of course, if he and Toronto managed to come up with a long-term deal.
Back in 2022, Guerrero and the Blue Jays avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $7.9 million deal, The following year, they once again avoided the process by hammering out a $14.5 million contract.
In 2023, Guerrero hit .264/345/.444 with 26 home runs and 94 RBIs. Even though his numbers regressed in 2023 compared with those he posted in previous years, he still found success in his mission to secure a bigger deal for the 2024 campaign. It must have also helped Guerrero that he just got his third All-Star nod in 2023.
The 24-year-old second-generation MLB star made his big league debut in 2019.
Follow Us
Subscribe