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After failing to agree on an extension in the offseason, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays have agreed on a 14-year, $500 million deal. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the deal has no deferrals, a signing bonus and a no-trade clause.
Guerrero was not the only Blue Jays star slated to hit free agency. Bo Bichette will be a free agent after the season, and after committing $500 million to Guerrero, the Blue Jays may not be able to afford Bichette. The team signed Bichette to a three-year, $33 million extension in 2023, but he is likely going to get paid at a premium in free agency, like other star shortstops.
FanSided's Zachary Rotman listed Bichette as a Blue Jay who "won't be back" in 2026.
"When he's right, he's a great player, and is off to a solid start to his 2025 campaign," wrote Rotman. "With that being said, Bichette is coming off a down year in 2024, is going to be asking for a lot of money, and the Jays have a plethora of replacement options for him internally. Andres Gimenez, Will Wagner, Orelvis Martinez, and Addison Barger are all either in the majors or knocking on the door, and can all realistically be viewed as long-term solutions in some capacity."
The Blue Jays likely anticipated Bichette leaving in free agency when they traded for Giménez. He is a capable shortstop and could slide over to fill the void left by Bichette.
Heyman revealed earlier this season that the Blue Jays are not likely to extend Bichette as they did Guerrero and that he will "likely" leave Toronto as a free agent.
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About the writer
Aaliyan Mohammed is a Newsweek contributor based in Atlanta, GA. His focus is MLB content. Aaliyan has been with Newsweek ... Read more