The Toronto Blue Jays and their young superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have avoided arbitration and agreed to a one-year, $14.5 million deal on Friday.
Guerrero Jr., 23, is one of 11 Blue Jays that were able to avoid arbitration.
Earlier Friday, The Toronto Blue Jays avoided arbitration with outfielder Daulton Varsho, catcher Danny Jansen, infielder Santiago Espinal, infielder/outfielder Cavan Biggio, left-handed reliever Tim Mayza, right-handed closer Jordan Romano and right-handed relievers Erik Swanson, Adam Cimber, Trevor Richards and Trent Thornton.
All ten are one-year deals — Romano at $4.5 million, Jansen at $3.5 million, Cimber at $3.15 million, Varsho at $3.05 million, Biggio at $2.8 million, Mayza and Espinal at $2.1 million, Richards at $1.5 million, Swanson at $1.25 million and Thornton at $1 million.
The Blue Jays were unable to come to an agreement with shortstop Bo Bichette and will be headed to arbitration.
While some fans were probably hoping for a record-setting extension for Guerrero Jr., the Blue Jays still have time with their young slugger.
Guerrero Jr. is not scheduled to become a free agent until after the 2025 season at the age of 26. Toronto will have until then to lock him down long term, or else he will be free to test the open market.
The two-time all-star had a .274 average with 32 homers and 97 RBIs for Toronto last season. He also significantly improved on defence, winning the first Gold Glove of his career for his play at first base.
The young phenom was also voted AL MVP runner-up during the 2021 season, solidifying himself as one of the top players in the league.
Jansen, 27, had his best year in the majors in 2022, slashing .260/.339/.516 with 15 homers and 44 RBI in 72 games.
The native of Elmhurst, Ill. had two stints on the injured list with an oblique injury and a broken finger.
Jansen and Alejandro Kirk are expected to share catching duties with the Blue Jays after Toronto dealt top prospect Gabriel Moreno to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Varsho deal in the off-season.
The Blue Jays selected Jansen in the 16th round of the 2013 MLB Draft and he broke into the big leagues in 2017.
For his 323-game career, Jansen is slashing .223/.307/.423 with 48 homers and 143 RBI.
Varsho slashed .235/.302/.443 with 27 homers and 74 RBI in 151 games with the Diamondbacks last season.
Romano, 29, was 5-4 and posted a 2.11 ERA in 63 appearances in 2022. He had 73 strikeouts and 21 walks in 64 innings. He was named an American League All-Star in 2022, joining teammates Espinal, Vladimir Guererro Jr., Alek Manoah and Alejandro Kirk.
The Markham, Ont. native was selected in the 10th round of the 2014 MLB draft and made his big-league debut in 2019.
Swanson was acquired alongside prospect Adam Macko in the off-season trade that sent Teoscar Hernandez to the Seattle Mariners.
He pitched to a 1.68 ERA in 53.2 innings in 2022, posting a 34 per cent strikeout rate and picking up three saves.
The Blue Jays acquired Espinal in a deal sending Steve Pearce to the Boston Red Sox in 2018.
Espinal slashed .267/.322/.370 with seven homers and 51 RBI in 135 games last season.
The Blue Jays acquired Richards in 2021 from Milwaukee in a deal sending infielder Rowdy Tellez to the Brewers.
Richards, 29, was 3-2 with a 5.34 ERA in 62 appearances. He had 82 strikeouts and 35 walks in 64 innings.
Mayza, 30, was a 12th-round pick by Toronto in 2013 and got his first taste of the big leagues in 2017.
Last season, Mayza was 8-1 with a 3.14 ERA, 44 strikeouts and 12 walks over 48.2 innings in 63 games.
The Blue Jays acquired Thornton in a deal with the Houston Astros in 2018.
He was 0-2 with a 4.11 ERA, 37 strikeouts and 17 walks in 46 innings last year.
The Blue Jays acquired Cimber in 2021 from the Miami Marlins and the reliever made 36 appearances for the Blue Jays that year. In 2022, Cimber went 10-6 with a 2.80 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 70.1 innings.
Biggio was a fifth-round pick of the Blue Jays in 2016.
He slashed .202/.318/.350 with six homers and 24 RBI in 97 games last season.
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