Blue Jays president optimistic Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will stay - ESPN

Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro is optimistic the team will be able to keep star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. off the free-agent market when his current contract expires after this season.

«I think we're going to sign him. I think we're going to extend him,» Shapiro told reporters on Thursday. «We have such a clear alignment on the desired outcome.

»Vlad wants to play his whole career as a Toronto Blue Jay. We want him to end his career in a Blue Jays uniform and be a true legacy player for the Toronto Blue Jays. That's a pretty good place to start."

Told about Sharpiro's comments, Guerrero on Thursday echoed that he remains «optimistic» as well.

«I've always felt good about the whole thing,» Guerrero told reporters. «I'm good with that. Just going to keep working very hard and be optimistic, too. Not going to shut the door on them.

»… I'm going to leave that to my agents to work with that. If there's something there, they're going to continue to work with that. I'm just going to be on the field, focusing on my teammates, on my team, on my game."

Reports last week said Guerrero and the Blue Jays were roughly $50 million apart, with the slugger seeking $500 million. Shapiro described the reports as «an oversimplification based upon only part of the information.»

Guerrero, who turned 26 last Sunday, had a self-imposed deadline of Feb. 17 to reach a contract extension. The sides avoided arbitration earlier in the offseason when they came to terms on a one-year, $28.5 million deal.

Guerrero, who made $19.9 million in 2024, turned in a fourth straight All-Star season, captured his second Silver Slugger Award and finished sixth in American League MVP voting. He hit .323 with a .396 on-base percentage, a .544