In terms of big free-agent signings, Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins acknowledged on Friday that his off-season work is pretty much done.
But with pitchers and catchers reporting in less than a week and full spring training activities commencing on Feb. 18 in Dunedin, Fla., what about the massive piece of unfinished business for the team?
Atkins wasn’t about to get into specifics of details of the team’s apparently ongoing negotiations for a contract extension with superstar Vlad Guerrero Jr. — the GM’s appearance on a video conference call was to talk about the signing of Max Scherzer, after all. But with Guerrero’s self-imposed deadline for talks set for the start of camp, the urgency remains the most significant aspect of the narrative around the team.
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“Today is about Max and today is about the team that’s in place and Vlad is certainly a huge part of that,” Atkins said when asked specifically about the looming deadline. “You all know our desire to have him here for a long time and we’ll continue to work towards that.”
Whether Atkins’ acknowledgement that talks are ongoing and remain a priority is cause for optimism or merely posturing remains to be seen. But it’s the broadest hint Atkins has given publicly that the team still is actively engaged in getting Guerrero to agree to an extension.
It has been widely reported that the superstar first baseman has been seeking considerably more — likely at least $100 million US more — than the $340-million US deal the team is said to have offered earlier in the off-season.
Speaking on the Spanish-language Abriendo El podcast in December, Guerrero said the Jays offer “was not even close to what we are looking for” and then issued his deadline for getting a deal done.
The implication from the Guerrero camp is that a failure to do so will mean the 25-year-old slugger will walk into free agency following the 2025 season.
The fact that Atkins acknowledges talks are continuing with the team’s home-grown superstars is at least encouraging, however serious they might be.
As for any further additions this off-season, Atkins said roster improvement for the Jays most likely would come via trade.
“We’ll never stop (trying to add) on that front,” Atkins said. “I think at this point, it would require a trade for us to add to the team. Most likely that would be the case.”