"Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is going to be a Yankee" - Former GM predicts Blue Jays star will make jump to New York after Toronto contract saga

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is the hottest name in the MLB headlines right now but not for any reason that Toronto Blue Jays fans will be wanting to see. The All-Star first baseman and the team were unable to agree on a long-term contract extension ahead of the slugger's deadline. Now, it appears that he is destined for free agency at the end of the year.

At 25, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is set to be the biggest fish in free agency if he hits the open market. The superstar and the Toronto Blue Jays have expressed interest in continuing their relationship. However, the club will now need to outbid a number of competing teams, including the New York Yankees.

Former New York Mets general manager Steve Phillips spoke on MLB Network Radio about the potential of Vladdy joining the Bronx Bombers next offseason. The Yankees have Paul Goldschmidt coming off the books at the end of the year, which will create an opening at first base, something that Phillips believes is an ideal landing spot for Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

"He's gonna be a Yankee. I think he is going to be a Yankee. I think that Goldschmidt will be out after the year, Alonso won't opt out, and Vladdy's going to be a Yankee. They're going to give him short of Soto money," Phillips said on the show.

Last season, Guerrero Jr. proved why he is one of the best players at his position in Major League Baseball. Even though the Toronto Blue Jays struggled as a whole, Vladdy was excellent, posting a .323 batting average with 30 home runs, 103 RBIs, and a .940 OPS. If the Yankees can land him, they could make a true power duo with Aaron Judge heading into the 2026 season.

"In the end, they will have Vladdy and Judge in the middle of the lineup, instead of Soto and Judge, and they'll have spent less money and they'll end up being a great moving forward. They'll be the best team in the American League for years, so I think Vladdy's a Yankee moving forward," Phillips continued.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. free agency speculation will be a major MLB storyline all season regardless of the Blue Jays' results

Last season, the New York Yankees were one of the best teams in baseball. However, the pending unrestricted free agency of Juan Soto loomed over the club all season. The same will likely happen for the Toronto Blue Jays with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who will undoubtedly be part of speculation all year long.

The 25-year-old has already been linked to a number of different clubs, including the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Boston Red Sox, and Arizona Diamondbacks. It will be interesting to see what the Blue Jays will do with Vladdy in terms of a potential trade.

In recent years, we have seen the Los Angeles Angels hang on to Shohei Ohtani, only to lose him in free agency for nothing. On the other hand, the San Diego Padres received a number of pieces for Juan Soto in a trade with the Yankees.

It will be interesting to see what the front office decides to do with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., let alone Bo Bichette, who is in the same boat as the first baseman.