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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is staying in Toronto for the long haul.
The Blue Jays haven't confirmed the deal yet, but you can bet they're absolutely over the moon. And why wouldn't they be? For a team that has had some notable near misses in free agency, locking up a bona fide superstar for years to come is a much-needed win, the kind that could potentially change the franchise's fortunes, as our own Keegan Matheson notes.
For a while, it looked like it wasn't going to happen, that Vladdy really was going to test free agency at the end of the 2025 season. After all, he set a Feb. 18 deadline to get a deal done. That date came and went without an agreement. According to Guerrero, talks never even got close. "Now, they're going to have to compete with 29 more teams," Guerrero said at the time.
It was a situation that threatened to loom over the club all season long, like the CN Tower over the Toronto skyline. But the Blue Jays were determined. They never gave up hope. And after months of swirling rumors and negotiations, the two sides have a resolution: 14 years, $500 million (per a source). It's the largest extension in MLB history, and the third largest overall deal behind only the free-agent pacts inked by Juan Soto (15 years, $765 million) and Shohei Ohtani (10 years, $700 million).
Speaking of free agency, the upcoming class has been upended. The spotlight's now on you, Kyle Tucker.
The outfielder probably has a big smile on his face today, and not just because of his sizzling start (five homers in 12 games!) for the Cubs, who acquired him from the Astros in the offseason. With Guerrero off the board, King Tuck is the unquestioned crown jewel of the 2025-26 free-agent class. And in the wake of the aforementioned megadeals, which have raised the bar for superstar pacts, the 28-year-old is poised to cash in.
Want to know how Guerrero's deal could shake up the rest of the free-agent landscape? How it might impact the likes of Pete Alonso and Dylan Cease? Mark Feinsand has you covered. Go beyond the Hot Stove and dig into the deeper narratives with Will Leitch's five biggest takeaways from Vlad's new deal.
-- Thomas Harrigan
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