Ex-Reds GM believes Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s Canadian roots made Blue Jays extension the perfect fit

After months of rumors and negotiations, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays have finally reached an agreement on a long-term extension. The All-Star first baseman and the Blue Jays agreed to terms on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension, likely keeping him with the club for the remainder of his career.

The new extension will keep the ultra-talented first baseman under contract until the end of the 2039 season when he will be 40-years-old. As one of the most consistent and productive hitters in baseball, keeping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in uniform is massive for the Toronto Blue Jays as a franchise moving forward.

In an interview on MLB Network Radio, former Cincinnati Reds general manager Jim Bowden spoke about the new deal. Bowden stressed the importance of the club keeping Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on the team but also dove into a major factor that he believes contributed to the first baseman wanting to stay with the club.

"His dad is a Hall of Famer and Vladimir was born when his dad was playing with the Montreal Expos, so he was actually born in Canada. Being born in Canada, I think, was a significant reason why he wanted to stay there in Toronto," Bowden explained.

Bowden believes that Vladimir Guerrero Jr. being born in Canada while his father was a member of the Montreal Expos played a role in the decision to extend with the club. There is a chance that Vladdy could have pursued more money in free agency such as Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani, however, Bowden believes that his Canadian ties helped negotiations.

"We now know the price to have Vladdy Jr. finish his career with the Toronto Blue Jays. They have committed to it and, quite frankly, it was the right move. If you are running a ball club you have to be able to keep your star player in uniform and I think they are fortunate to get it done," Bowden continued.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s long-time teammate Bo Bichette is still waiting for clarity on his MLB future

Now that the Toronto Blue Jays have been able to extend both Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and catcher Alejandro Kirk, the next player that they will need to look into is Bo Bichette. The talented shortstop once looked like one of the top players at the position, however, after a disastrous 2024 campaign it remains to be seen how the Blue Jays value the 27-year-old moving forward.

Bo Bichette is slated to become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season. If the two sides cannot or are unwilling to come to an agreement on a long-term extension, there is a chance that the team could look at potentially moving him before the trade deadline. Things could heat up throughout the summer if a deal has not been reached.