Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won't sign extension as free agency looms

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has his sights set on hitting the open market.

The Toronto Blue Jays star did not sign a contract extension with the team prior to his self-imposed Monday deadline, which means he could be a free agent in November.

Guerrero, a four-time All-Star, said that the team did not come close to what he was asking for in negotiations.

"They have their numbers, I have my numbers," Guerrero told reporters at spring training Tuesday morning. "... Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career. But it's free agency. It's business. So I'm going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they're going to have to compete for that."

With his deadline now passed, Guerrero said he doesn't intend to talk to the team about an extension -- but won't rule out re-signing if they give him a "realistic" offer in November. At that point, though, every other team can freely court him.

Guerrero, who turns 26 next month, will be one of the most sought after free agents in recent years due to his age and production. He has hit more than 25 home runs in each of the past four seasons while shifting from third base to first base.

It's unclear if the Blue Jays will seek to trade him before or during the season, which would recoup some value but likely take them out of the running to sign him next offseason. Toronto has pursued big-name free agents Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto in the last two offseasons, with both attempts being unsuccessful.

The Blue Jays haven't won a postseason game since 2016 and finished 74-88 last season. Guerrero helped lead the team to the AL Wild Card Round in 2022 and 2023, but they were swept both years.

While it's difficult to predict at this early stage, MLB Network's Jon Heyman listed the Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and New York Yankees -- in that order -- as the favorites to land Guerrero as a free agent.

Here is a look at 10 players currently eligible for free agency after the 2024 World Series ends.