Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays headed to arbitration after failing to agree on 1-year deal
Posted January 11, 2024 9:44 pm.
Last Updated January 11, 2024 9:55 pm.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays are headed for an arbitration hearing after failing to reach agreement on a one-year deal ahead of Thursday’s filing deadline.
Guerrero, who earned $14.5 million last season when he batted .264/.345/.444 with 26 homers and 94 RBIs, had been projected by MLB Trade Rumours to earn $20.4 million in his third time trip to the arbitration process.
He’d been on a similar earning track to fellow slugging first baseman Pete Alonso, who settled with the New York Mets at $20.5 million.
In the absence of a deal, Guerrero will file a 2024 ask, the Blue Jays will counter with an offer, and they’ll argue their case before an arbitrator sometime during the Jan. 29-Feb. 16 hearing period.
The Blue Jays are what’s known as a “file-and-trial” team, meaning that once numbers are exchanged, the only way they won’t go to a hearing is if the sides agree to a multi-year deal.
That’s what happened last season with all-star shortstop Bo Bichette, who filed at $7.5 million, $2.5 million more than the club’s offer of $5 million, but eventually agreed to a $33.6-million, three-year deal that carries him through 2025.
Such an outcome could be even more difficult with Guerrero, who is also two seasons away from being eligible for free agency and is trending toward an appearance on the open market.
While arbitration hearings are based on comparable players and individual stats, the process can create ill feelings and leave players frustrated – a risky possibility with a cornerstone player.
The Blue Jays haven’t gone to a hearing since 2019, when Ryan Tepera was awarded the club’s offer of $1.525 million rather than his ask of $1.8 million and came away frustrated by what he heard during the hearing.
Adding to the stakes with Guerrero is that he’s part of a potentially franchise-altering cohort of players that could hit free agency after 2025. Aside from Bichette, that group also includes Jordan Romano ($7.75 million), Cavan Biggio ($4.21 million), Tim Mayza ($3.59 million), Erik Swanson ($2.75 million) and Genesis Cabrera ($1.5125 million), who all reached agreements to avoid arbitration.
Also avoiding arbitration were Daulton Varsho ($5.65 million), Danny Jansen ($5.2 million), Alejandro Kirk ($2.8 million), Santiago Espinal ($2.725 million), Trevor Richards ($2.15 million) and Nate Pearson ($800,000).
Jansen and Richards will be eligible for free agency next fall.
The Blue Jays have gone to arbitration hearings 15 times in franchise history, winning nine times.
In 2018, the Blue Jays won their cases over Marcus Stroman ($6.5 million, rather than $6.9 million) and Roberto Osuna ($5.3 million, rather than $5.8 million).
