Toronto Blue Jays

Toronto Blue Jays starter Max Scherzer received a second cortisone shot to address a thumb injury that he suffered in his season debut, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN).

Blue Jays manager John Schneider revealed that Scherzer's injection was in a different part of his thumb than the first shot and he's expected to join the team in Houston "next week," via ESPN.

The veteran pitcher left his opening start of the 2025 season after just three innings due to the thumb issue.

Scherzer was initially ruled out due to right lat soreness, but he told reporters that thumb troubles caused his early exit and he was eventually placed on the 15-day injured list due to right thumb inflammation.

His prior cortisone injection occurred one day after his injured list placement.

Scherzer previously had a spring training start pushed back due to thumb soreness.

He was expected to operate as a key piece of Toronto's rotation when the team signed him to a one-year, $15.5 million contract in free agency.

The three-time Cy Young Award winner has remained a capable starting option when healthy, but injuries have limited him in recent years.

Scherzer spent the 2024 season with the Texas Rangers and made just nine starts, posting a 2-4 record to go along with a 3.95 ERA and 1.154 WHIP.

The 40-year-old looked sharp on the mound while gearing up for his 2025 campaign, though. In four spring training appearances, he allowed just five hits and two earned runs throughout 13 innings of work.

Toronto has been able to mitigate the absence of Scherzer so far, owning an 11-8 record. The Blue Jays' 3.17 ERA among starting pitchers also ranks No. 1 in the American League, via MLB.com.

As Scherzer looks to manage his injury and target a return to the mound, he received a second injection in his thumb.

Toronto Blue Jays star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s massive $500 million contract extension reportedly includes a hefty signing bonus.

According to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal, the Blue Jays will pay $325 million of the deal to Guerrero in a signing bonus, while the remaining $175 million will be paid in salary. Rosenthal added that both the signing bonus and salary "will be distributed in varying annual amounts over the 14-year term of the deal."

Guerrero spoke to reporters about his new deal on Wednesday. He was asked what advice he received from his Hall of Fame father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., and he said with a smile, "Trust god. My dad told me to trust god, and to get the last penny that I could from the organization."

While a $325 million signing bonus is pretty much unheard of in the world of sports, Rosenthal explained that the move keeps Guerrero's impact on the team's spending at a relatively low figure.

"Baseball’s collective-bargaining agreement does not restrict the amount a team can include in a signing bonus," Rosenthal stated. "The bonus, however, is included in the calculation of a player’s average annual value for luxury tax purposes. Including salary, Guerrero’s annual luxury-tax hit will be $35.71 million."

Rosenthal also noted that Guerrero will benefit from it in multiple ways. Signing bonuses are typically allocated to an athlete's state of residence, and Guerrero resides in Florida, a state with no income tax. By converting 65 percent of his $500 million deal into a signing bonus, he will presumably save millions from avoiding state taxes.

Also, since signing bonuses are guaranteed regardless of the performance of services, Guerrero would still receive his annual earnings if games are canceled due to a work stoppage or any other reason. The league's collective bargaining agreement expires on Dec. 1, 2026, so a work stoppage is a possibility if a new agreement isn't reached before then.

Rosenthal added that Guerrero will receive an initial signing bonus payment of $20 million within 30 days. However, that money will not count against Toronto's luxury-tax payroll this season because his new deal runs from 2026 to 2039, and a signing bonus only applies to the luxury-tax payroll during the guaranteed years of the contract under the current CBA.

The Toronto Blue Jays are reportedly getting closer to signing their superstar long term.

Per The New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. are "making progress" on a potential 14-year deal worth $500 million. Heyman added that there is "optimism" that the two sides can finish the deal.

MLB insider Mike Rodriguez reported Friday that Guerrero and the Blue Jays were "very close" to working out an extension. When asked about potentially signing a $500 million deal, Guerrero brushed off the rumor.

"Well, until now, I don't know anything," Guerrero said Friday in Spanish (translated by ESPN's Jorge Castillo). "I've always tried to talk to my agent and I've always left that to my agent.

"I focus on playing. Until now, I don't know what you're talking about."

Heading into the offseason, Guerrero set a deadline of Feb. 18 for extension negotiations. Despite that deadline passing and the season beginning, ESPN's Buster Olney reported in late March that the Blue Jays had made another offer for Guerrero, but a gap still remained between the two sides.

After Heyman's report on Sunday, it appears the two sides have managed to shrink that gap. A report from USA Today's Bob Nightengale also indicated that an extension could happen soon, "perhaps this week."

A 14-year, $500 million contract is a big commitment to make but could be a worthwhile investment for a player of Guerrero's caliber. He's coming off a season in which he hit 30 home runs, 103 RBI and recorded a career-best .323 batting average. Allowing him to hit free agency without an extension could be a costly mistake for Toronto.

Guerrero has had a bit of a slow start to the 2025 campaign with no homers, four RBI and a .256 batting average, but it's only a matter of time before he finds his swing.

Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. says he doesn't "know anything" about being reportedly close to signing an extension worth more than $500 million.

"Well, until now, I don't know anything," Guerrero said Friday in Spanish (as translated by ESPN's Jorge Castillo). "I've always tried to talk to my agent and I've always left that to my agent.

"I focus on playing. Until now, I don't know what you're talking about."

MLB reporter Mike Rodriguez said earlier Friday that Guerrero and the Blue Jays were "very close to closing" on a $500 million-plus deal.

Rodriguez's report came in the middle of the Blue Jays' 5-0 loss to the New York Mets in Queens.

"Like I said before, I'm playing right now. I'm concentrating on the games, on my teammates," Guerrero said via his translator after the game (h/t SNY). "I'm leaving everything to my agent, so I haven't talked to them. So I don't know anything at this point."

Guerrero initially set a Feb. 18 deadline for extension negotiations ahead of his contract year.

No agreement was reached before spring training. Guerrero told ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez on March 6 the Blue Jays had offered him less than $600 million, and ESPN's Buster Olney reported club and player had been "about $50 million apart."

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro told reporters on March 20 he believed his club would be able to extend Guerrero and expressed hope the star would "end his career in a Blue Jays uniform and be a true legacy player for the Toronto Blue Jays."

Olney then reported on March 27 the Blue Jays had made a new offer to Guerrero "in the past 24 hours."

ESPN reported at the time that "a gap still remains between the two sides, and it's unclear whether there will be more talks in the immediate future to reach a deal."

Guerrero, who turned 26 in March, finished the 2024 campaign with a career-high batting average of .323. The Blue Jays risk his price climbing even higher if he can put together a fifth straight All-Star campaign before testing free agency next winter.

The Toronto Blue Jays and superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reportedly still aren't close to an agreement on a long-term contract extension.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the Blue Jays recently made Guerrero a new offer, but a "gap" remains between the two sides.

Guerrero, 26, has spent his entire six-year MLB career in Toronto, but he is currently set to become a free agent at the end of the 2025 campaign.

Per Olney, Guerrero originally set a deadline to get a deal done for the first day of spring training, although additional negotiations have taken place since then.

While the exact number Guerrero and his representatives are looking for remains unclear, Guerrero said it was less than $600 million, and reports suggested he and the Blue Jays were about $50 million apart at one point.

In February, Guerrero told reporters that all 30 MLB teams will have a chance to sign him if he hits free agency.

Despite Guerrero's discussion of free agency and the Blue Jays' inability to lock him up thus far, team president Mark Shapiro recently expressed optimism that it would happen, saying:

"I think we're going to sign him. I think we're going to extend him. We have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome.

"Vlad wants to play his whole career as a Toronto Blue Jay. We want him to end his career in a Blue Jays uniform and be a true legacy player for the Toronto Blue Jays. That's a pretty good place to start."

Over his six-year career, Guerrero has established himself as one of the top first basemen and all-around hitters in the game.

He is a four-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger Award winner and one-time Gold Glove Award winner, and he finished second in the American League MVP voting in 2021.

Last season was Guerrero's best since 2021, as he hit a career-best .323 to go along with a .396 on-base percentage and .544 slugging percentage. He also racked up 30 home runs, 103 RBI and 98 runs scored.

Over the past two offseasons, historic contracts have been handed out, and Guerrero is likely in line to land one of the richest deals of all time as well.

The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract prior to the 2024 season, and the New York Mets then inked Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million deal this past offseason.

While Guerrero is likely to fall short of those numbers, he could at least approach them if he puts up huge numbers again in 2025 and hits the open market.

Guerrero and the Blue Jays will get their 2025 regular season started Thursday afternoon when they host the AL East rival Baltimore Orioles.

Even though the Toronto Blue Jays have struck out in their attempts to sign outside free agents in recent years, they feel good about their chances of keeping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as he heads into his final season under contract in 2025.

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro told reporters on Thursday, "I think we're going to sign" Guerrero to a long-term deal "because we have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome."

Shapiro didn't put a timetable on a deal getting done, only saying it "could be" before Guerrero becomes a free agent or after.

The Blue Jays and Guerrero's camp were in contract talks throughout the offseason, but the two sides were unable to agree to terms.

In an interview with ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez (h/t ESPN.com), Guerrero attempted to provide some clarity by saying his expectations were not necessarily comparable to the 15-year, $765 million deal Juan Soto got from the New York Mets.

Guerrero did say he was seeking close to the same number of years as Soto, but the total value in his last counteroffer to the Blue Jays was under $600 million:

"It's much less than Soto. We're talking about many fewer millions than Soto, more than a hundred million less. ... It was the same number of years [as Soto's contract], but it didn't reach [$600 million]. The last number we gave them as a counteroffer didn't reach 600. I know the business. I lowered the salary demands a bit, but I also lowered the number of years. ... I'm looking for 14 [years]. I would like 14, 15, even 20 if they give them to me, but doing it the right way."

One apparent sticking point in those talks involved deferred money. The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported on March 11 that Guerrero is seeking $500 million in present-day value, but the Blue Jays' offer included deferrals that lowered the present-day value to between $400-450 million.

Guerrero previously said that he was going to cut off any contract talks upon reporting to spring training. It's unclear if he will maintain that stance if the Blue Jays close the gap enough in any future proposals.

It's probably in Toronto's best interest to not let Guerrero test the market, just because free agency can be a crap shoot when multiple teams are trying to make additions.

Guerrero, who turned 26 on March 16, has made the All-Star team in each of the past four seasons and has finished in the top six in AL MVP voting twice since 2021. He hit .323/.396/.544 with 30 homers and 103 RBI in 159 games last season.

The Blue Jays are coming off their worst season since 2019 with a 74-88 record. They made the playoffs three times in the previous four seasons prior to 2024.

The Toronto Blue Jays offered first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a $500 million contract with deferrals last month, per Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

"The Toronto Blue Jays offered superstar first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a deal for about $500 million before negotiations were halted last month — although significant deferrals put an estimate of the actual net present value of the offer between $400 million and $450 million, league sources familiar with the negotiation tell The Post.

"These figures represent the range the Blue Jays were willing to discuss and, thus, details where matters stood before Guerrero’s camp halted negotiations, as promised, before the Jays’ first full-squad workout Feb. 18."

Guerrero, who rejected the offer, is now set to enter free agency in November.

On Tuesday, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal revealed that Guerrero was looking for $500 million in present value, not deferrals, per "sources briefed on the first baseman’s contract negotiations" with Toronto.

Rosenthal broke down the numbers even further, signifying how far apart the two sides are on a new contract.

"The difference in present value between his ask and the Blue Jays’ final proposal, as reported by the Post, is between $50 million and $100 million – or between $3.57 million and $7.14 million per season over 14 years," Rosenthal added.

Guerrero previously told ESPN's Enrique Rojas and Ernesto Jerez earlier in March that his camp's final offer was for 14 years and less than $600 million, or far less than the $765 million Juan Soto received over 15 years with the New York Mets.

"It's much less than Soto. We're talking about many fewer millions than Soto, more than a hundred million less. ... It was the same number of years [as Soto's contract], but it didn't reach [$600 million]. The last number we gave them as a counteroffer didn't reach 600," Guerrero said.

"I know the business. I lowered the salary demands a bit, but I also lowered the number of years. ... I'm looking for 14 [years]. I would like 14, 15, even 20 if they give them to me, but doing it the right way."

Guerrero said last month that he didn't want to negotiate during spring training or the regular season (h/t Keegan Matheson of MLB.com).

However, it seems the door would be propped open if the Blue Jays came back with a "realistic offer," as told to reporters (h/t sportscaster Hazel Mae).

For now, Guerrero is an impending free agent. The four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger hit .323 last season with 30 home runs and 103 RBI.

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is reportedly "going to expect over $500 million" when he hits free agency next offseason, per Jon Heyman of the New York Post and MLB Network, who made his remarks on the Baseball Insiders podcast with Robert Murray.

"He's not Soto," Heyman began. "He's not getting $765 million, but he's going to expect over $500 million, so how many teams can afford that? It is a limited number of teams that can afford it and are willing to go there."

Guerrero, who turns 26 on March 16, has played his entire six-year career in Toronto. Last year, the four-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger hit .323 (.940 OPS) with 30 home runs and 103 RBI.

After arriving at spring training, Guerrero told reporters that there aren't plans to negotiate a contract extension. Guerrero previously said he had no plans to discuss an extension after arriving in Dunedin, Florida, for the Blue Jays' spring training.

ESPN's Jeff Passan relayed more from Guerrero, who said he and Toronto were never close on talks. However, he is interested in a potential return.

Toronto finds itself in trouble after a promising four-year run from 2020-2023, when the team made the playoffs in three seasons. The lone exception was 2021, when a 91-win Blue Jays team missed the postseason by one game.

Those squads were led by a promising young core. However, the Blue Jays collapsed in 2024, going 74-88. Now Toronto could find itself without both Guerrero and Bo Bichette, another impending free agent who's made two All-Star Games but struggled last year in an injury-shortened season.

For now, though, Guerrero remains a Blue Jay as Toronto hopes to bounce back from a tough 2024 campaign.

Bo Bichette told reporters that he and the Toronto Blue Jays haven't had any contract extension talks as the 26-year-old shortstop enters the final season of a three-year, $33.6 million contract.

”No, we haven’t had any talks,” Bichette said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, “but from my perspective, we all grow up wanting to be one of those guys that has an opportunity to stay with an organization for their entire career. I’m just focused on what I’ve got to do this year to help the team win and be the best version of myself. Whatever happens will happen.”

The two-time All-Star, who has twice led the American League in hits, struggled mightily in 2024. Over 81 games, Bichette hit just .225 (.598 OPS) with four home runs and 31 RBI.

Bichette dealt with numerous calf injuries during the season and even missed two months after landing on the injured list July 20 with a "moderate" calf strain.

He returned on Sept. 17 but played just once before suffering a fracture in his right middle finger while taking pregame ground balls the next day after a ball "skipped up and hit him on the tip of his finger," per Matheson.

It isn't unrealistic to see Bichette return to his 2021-2023 form, when it appeared that he and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would lead the Blue Jays on a long and prosperous run with them as the cornerstones.

During that stretch, Bichette hit .298 (.815 OPS) while averaging 24 home runs and 89 RBI per season. He also posted a 124 OPS+, per Baseball-Reference.

Bichette amassed a 14.3 WAR during that time while receiving MVP votes each season, getting as high as 11th in the AL MVP race in 2022.

Obviously, injuries slowed him down in 2024, and now there's some uncertainty about his Blue Jay future after a tough season. But a bounce-back campaign could certainly reignite extension conversations, although the impending free agent would attract attention from other teams as well if he plays to his potential.