After the Toronto Blue Jays and slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. failed to agree to contract terms before his self-imposed deadline back in February, the belief was that the four-time All-Star would hit the open market as a free agent this winter. Ensuing reports, which indicated just how far apart the two sides were in their negotiations, only served to strengthen that notion.
But everything changed in the early morning hours Monday, as the Blue Jays and Guerrero agreed to terms on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension, as first reported by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
The massive deal begs several questions.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Contract Details
Are there any deferrals in Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s Contract?
No. Guerrero's contract includes no deferred compensation, according to Spotrac. This was a sticking point in negotiations between the 2023 Home Run Derby champion and the Blue Jays. Guerrero and his agents Barry Praver and Scott Shapiro made it clear that the deal should include no deferrals, which would have significantly lowered its present day value.
Does Guerrero's contract have a no-trade clause?
Yes. Guerrero's deal includes a full no-trade clause, according to Spotrac. Per MLB rules, this means that Guerrero can block a trade to any of the other 29 teams. A full no-trade clause gives much more power to the player than a partial one, which allows a player to block trades only to a specified list of teams.
How long will Guerrero be under contract with the Blue Jays?
For 14 seasons, beginning in the '26 campaign and running through the '39 season.
Where does Guerrero's contract rank among the biggest in MLB history?
It is the third-largest contract in MLB history, but the second-largest in terms of present day value. It is also the largest contract in Blue Jays history. Here's a closer look.
Below are the biggest contracts in MLB history in terms of total value.
Now, here are the biggest contracts in terms of present day value.
In the case of Ohtani and Betts, significant contract deferrals, which have become a part of the Los Angeles Dodgers' team-building philosophy, drag down the present day value of the respective deals.
In terms of average annual value, Guerrero's contract, which will pay him $35.7 million per year, checks in as the ninth-largest in MLB history, just behind New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Trout. In terms of the biggest contracts among active players at the time of this story's publishing, Guerrero's deal ranks seventh in MLB in AAV. Note that these AAV figures are all in terms of present day value and don't include deferrals.
In a fun twist, Guerrero Jr. will earn $142.8 million through the first four seasons of his deal, which eclipses the entire career earnings of his father and Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
In seven seasons, Guerrero has posted a .287/.362/.498 slash line with 160 home runs, 511 RBI and 478 runs scored. In addition to making four All-Star teams and winning the '23 Home Run Derby, he is a two-time Silver Slugger, has a Gold Glove to his name and in '21 was the youngest player, at 22 years old, in MLB history to be named All-Star Game MVP.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Contract Details: Where Deal Ranks in MLB History .
