Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Multiple Other Blue Jays Have Major Contract Deadline Coming

The deadline to avoid arbitration is Thursday afternoon for Guerrero Jr. and six other members of the Blue Jays.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) hits an RBI single against the St. Louis Cardinals in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. It was the 500th RBI of his career in 2024. / Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images

Thursday is a big day for seven members of the Toronto Blue Jays, including superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

That's because Thursday at 1 p.m. ET is the deadline for players to come to terms with teams without going to an arbitration hearing.

For the Blue Jays, the following players are arbitration-eligible, per Sportsnet.

Like all arbitration-eligible players, Guerrero Jr. has until 1 p.m. ET on Thursday to avoid arbitration with his team. Also eligible for the Blue Jays are Daulton Varsho, Alejandro Kirk, Alek Manoah, Zach Pop, Ernie Clement and the newly acquired Nick Sandlin.

Erik Swanson already avoided arbitration earlier this offseason.

Each of these players will be under contract next year, its just a question of at what number. If the two sides reach an agreement before 1 p.m. ET on Thursday, there is no trial, but if not, they'll go to trial, which can potentially create ill-feelings for the player.

Take Corbin Burnes of the Brewers, who went to arbitration before the 2023 season...

“You learn your true value in the organization” — Corbin Burnes in his first comments about his arbitration loss to the #Brewers. pic.twitter.com/P0GXTwaQLb

— Todd Rosiak (@Todd_Rosiak) February 16, 2023

Spotrac.com projects that Guerrero Jr. will make $28.8 million in arbitration, while they project Varsho for $8 million. He just won the American League Gold Glove Award in center field. Kirk, a former All-Star, will make $4 million while Clement, Manoah, Pop and Sandlin will each make between $1-2.5 million.

Again, those are just projections.

While Guerrero may get an arbitration number near $30 million, he'd much rather get the $450 million long-term offer he's looking for. Reports indicate that the Jays and him are more than $100 million apart in negotiations and he's said he won't negotiate beyond the first day of spring training.

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