Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s quest for Aaron Judge or Juan Soto contract gets brutal reality check from ex-Marlins President

MLB teams start their preparation for next season as pitchers and catchers reported for Spring Training workouts this week. However, the start of Spring Training is a ticking clock for the Toronto Blue Jays, who are hoping to extend their star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The All-Star third baseman is heading into the final year of his contract with the Blue Jays and set a deadline of Feb 18, the team's first full Spring Training workout, to reach an agreement on an extension.

The Blue Jays reportedly offered a $340 million deal to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the offseason, but the four-time All-Star didn't find the contract close to the valuation he has set for himself. Guerrero Jr. is reportedly seeking a long-term contract hovering around $450 million, eclipsing Aaron Judges's $360,000,000 deal with the New York Yankees.

However, former Miami Marlins president David Samson doesn't feel the Blue Jays star deserves a contract like Judge or Juan Soto ($765 million over 15 years). Samson referenced Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins' comments on Thursday, where Atkins mentioned the team needs to factor variables while negotiating an extension.

"The hardest thing to do is to let a player like Vladimir Guerrero Jr. get into free agency and go," Samson said (3:30 onwards). "But when you've got a player who you know doesn't need the money, because obviously in the money his father got paid? He's got a father telling him that he's the best.

"While fathers tell their sons that, there's a misunderstanding of his notional value. He will not get a 10-year Aaron Judge-type deal, Juan Soto deal, It's just not in his future, and he just doesn't know it yet, and he's not going to learn that by the time he reports."

What did Ross Atkins say about Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future?

As Blue Jays pitchers and catchers reported for spring training, general manager Ross Atkins was asked about their prized superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future with the team on Thursday.

“We’ve worked extremely hard on keeping Vlad here for a long time,” Atkins said. “The desire is strong and we will continue to do that. We will never close the door. Everything needs to be factored in, but it needs to be factored in historically and not reactively. Being disciplined to our valuations, being disciplined to how we think about building the best possible roster, there’s so many variables.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays agreed to a $28.5 million salary for the 2025 season, and if the star slugger declines an extension to stay in Toronto, he would be one of the most sought-after targets in free agency next offseason.