Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s murky future looms over the new Blue Jays season

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Kind of like that old saying about real estate, the 2025 Toronto Blue Jays season will be all about three things: Vladdy, Vladdy, Vladdy.

Sure, the Jays would like to return to the playoffs after missing out last season with a dismal 74-88 record that put them dead last in the American League East. And, who knows, maybe their off-season roster tweaks will pay off, the stars will align, and they'll make that happen. That would be great.

But, unless and until the Jays sign franchise cornerstone Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a big new contract to prevent him from hitting free agency this fall, the main topic of conversation around the Jays will continue to be whether Vladdy is staying or leaving.

With so much of Toronto's future hinging on the answer to that question, every win or loss this season will be viewed through the prism of whether it helps convince Guerrero (and, to a lesser extent, fellow homegrown star Bo Bichette) to re-up with the Jays or pushes him toward the door.

WATCH | What's new at Rogers Centre for this Blue Jays season?:

What’s new at Rogers Centre ahead of the Jays home opener

Here's where things stand as the Jays prepare for their Opening Day matchup with visiting Baltimore on Thursday afternoon:

Guerrero appears set to test free agency at the end of the year after cutting off negotiations with the Jays upon his arrival at spring training last month. The 26-year-old first baseman, who was the AL MVP runner-up in 2021, when he swatted a career-high 48 home runs, and finished sixth in MVP voting last year after hitting .323/.396/.544 with 30 homers and