"Should've learned what happened with Shohei Ohtani and Angels" - MLB insider goes scorched earth on Blue Jays over Vladimir Guerrero Jr. debacle

All-Star infielder Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s contract extension negotiations with the Toronto Blue Jays was the hot topic heading into Spring Training last week. The saga seems to have concluded as the star first baseman failed to agree on an extension with the team and is likely to be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is heading into the final year of his contract with the Blue Jays and was reportedly in talks about an extension since the offseason started. The Blue Jays reportedly offered him a $340 million contract last year, but was "not even close" with their valuation per the superstar.

Following their unsatisfactory offer, Guerrero Jr. set the team's first full-squad workout (Tuesday) as the deadline for the contract extension negotiations. As it turned out, the two parties failed to agree on an extension.

MLB insider Buster Olney flamed the Blue Jays front office, blasting them for not learning from the mistake the Los Angeles Angels made with Shohei Ohtani by letting him walk into free agency after the 2023 season.

"Vladimir Guerrero Jr. almost certainly is going to become a free agent next fall," Olney said on ESPN. "He and Kyle Tucker will be the biggest names on the board and now the Blue Jays are in a mess of their own making because they have not been decisive. In the middle of the 2024 season when the Blue Jays were contending, they could have made him a last best offer, and if he had said no, they could have traded him and gotten great value.

"They could have done the same thing at the beginning of this offseason, but they failed to do that. So, now, they have to hope that they're contending, if they don't, they might wind up trading him before the July deadline for pennies on the dollar. They should have learned what happened a couple of years ago with Shohei Ohtani and the Angels, they blew it."

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could be the biggest name in the 2025 free agency

The Blue Jays have missed out on several superstars over the last few years, none bigger than Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto in free agency. However, failing to retain Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will hurt the Jays fans more as he has been a homegrown superstar in Toronto.

While the Blue Jaus could try to offer him an extension in the coming weeks, it's unlikely the 25-year-old will budge. Despite the contract sage being a constant talking point over the weeks and the foreseeable future, the All-Star is committed to the team's cause.

"I'm here. We didn't get an agreement," Guerrero said through an interpreter on Tuesday. "Now, they're going to have to compete with 29 other teams."

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who turns 26 next month, is expected to be a free agent at the end of the 2025 season with the two New York franchises reportedly eyeing a blockbuster move for the first baseman.