The Toronto Blue Jays today announce they have signed four-time All-Star INF Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a 14-year contract extension ($500,000,000 USD) through the 2039 season.
¡°This is a monumental moment in franchise history. Vlad has been part of our Blue Jays family since he was 16 years old and has captured the heart of our city and country,¡± said Mark Shapiro, President & CEO, Toronto Blue Jays. ¡°There are very few in the game today that can say they have played for more than two decades with the same team, and we are immensely grateful Blue Jays fans will get to see Vlad finish his career where it all began. The name Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will forever be synonymous with the Toronto Blue Jays.¡±
Born in Montreal, Guerrero Jr., 26, was signed by the Blue Jays at age 16 and made his Major League debut at Rogers Centre on April 26, 2019, at age 20. Now in his seventh MLB season, the right-handed hitter is already a four-time All-Star (2021-24), a two-time Silver Slugger (2021 & 2024), a Hank Aaron Award winner (2021), a Gold Glove Award winner (first base; 2022), an All-Star Game MVP (2021), a Home Run Derby champ (2023), and a two-time Tip O¡¯Neill Award winner as the best Canadian baseball player (2021 & 2024).
¡°As proud owners of the Blue Jays, we¡¯re committed to building a championship team and we¡¯re thrilled to have Vlad¡¯s leadership as one of the best players in the game,¡± said Edward Rogers, Chair of the Toronto Blue Jays and Executive Chair of Rogers Communications. ¡°Today is a win for the best fans in baseball.¡±
Since 2021, Guerrero Jr. is the American League leader in hits (733), while also ranking 2nd in total bases (1,286), 3rd in home runs (136), 3rd in doubles (141), 3rd in RBI (409), 3rd in walks (289), and 4th in extra-base hits (279). In that span, he also leads the Majors in hard-hit balls (1,097). Guerrero Jr. is the youngest recipient of the Hank Aaron Award, the youngest player to ever win All-Star Game MVP honours, and holds the MLB record for most home runs in a single season by a player age 22 or younger (48 in 2021).
¡°I love our Blue Jays fans; they have supported me my whole career and made me feel appreciated every day,¡± said Guerrero Jr. ¡°My family and I have a special connection to our second home in Toronto, and I feel fortunate to carry on my dad¡¯s legacy and represent an entire country. I am very proud to wear the maple leaf and to be part of an organization with the same goal ¨C to bring World Series championships back to Canada.¡±
¡°Franchise players like Vlad don¡¯t come along very often. He has already reached impressive performance levels and his future is even brighter,¡± said Ross Atkins, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations & General Manager, Toronto Blue Jays. ¡°Vlad has been embraced by the City of Toronto and Canada since day one and we¡¯re thrilled he¡¯s with us for the long term. His ability to excel at the pinnacle of the game is matched by his passion for it and the joy he brings to the field every day.¡±
Guerrero Jr. has quickly become one of the most successful players to ever wear a Blue Jays jersey. Across Toronto¡¯s 49-year history, the 26-year-old is the youngest to reach 150 career home runs, the youngest to reach 500 RBI, the youngest to hit 40+ home runs in a single season, and the youngest to drive in 100+ runs in a single season. Among the Blue Jays all-time leaders (min. 3,000 PA), he ranks 4th in SLG (.498), 5th in OPS (.860), 6th in batting average (.287), 7th in OBP (.362), and 8th in home runs (160). He is the only player in franchise history to win a Gold Glove at first base, the only Blue Jay ever to win the Home Run Derby, and is part of the only father-son duo (along with Vladimir Guerrero Sr.) to each be crowned a Derby champion.