The Toronto Blue Jays made a strong statement about their future on Monday, signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a massive 14-year, $500 million contract that will keep him north of the border for the rest of his career.

But Toronto hasn't won a World Series since 1993 and if the Blue Jays want to end that drought, they need to do more than sign their franchise cornerstone to an extension.

It could start in 2025. As ESPN's David Schoenfield put it, the Blue Jays can contend right now — they just need help.

“I'd start hounding the Marlins about Sandy Alcantara,” Schoenfield wrote on Monday. “If the Blue Jays are going to contend this season — and they can — they'll need more pitching, especially with Max Scherzer's immediate future in doubt. Alcantara is signed through 2027, so he would team up nicely with Guerrero while showing the Blue Jays are committed to winning now.”

Alcantara is back on the mound after missing all of 2024 as he recovered from Tommy John surgery. The 2022 National League Cy Young winner is signed through 2027, but if he is able to recapture his old form, there's no chance the Marlins will be able to keep him beyond then. They could be looking to trade Alcantara and his value should spike around July.

The Blue Jays are committed to contending after signing Vladimir Guerrero Jr to a massive extension

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Toronto is committed to contending in the American League East. If there was any doubt before, despite their heavy pursuits of Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani, the Guerrero deal clears that up. As Schoenfield also wrote, extending Guerrero also means he won't be spending the rest of his prime for a division rival.

“For them to contend in the AL East, they need the superstar version of Guerrero to anchor the lineup,” he said. “That's no guarantee, but there's also a chance his best seasons are still ahead of him — and they won't be coming for the Yankees or Red Sox, two teams who likely would have pursued him in the offseason.”

Guerrero is 26 and coming off of four straight All-Star seasons. Though he's never quite returned to the level of his 2022 season, where he hit 48 home runs and finished second in MVP voting, he's been consistently elite. Now we know he can continue to be elite in Toronto.