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Teoscar Hernandez dumbfounded by Toronto Blue Jays' treatment of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Adam Laskaris
Adam Laskaris
|
Jan 30 2025, 10:00 pm
Teoscar Hernandez dumbfounded by Toronto Blue Jays' treatment of Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images

Even two years after his last game with the Toronto Blue Jays, Teoscar Hernandez hasn’t stopped sharing his thoughts on the franchise.

Though a reunion with the 32-year-old and the Blue Jays seemed possible after he won the World Series this past year with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Hernandez eventually stayed with the reigning champs on a three-year contract extension.

But while his former teammate Vladimir Guerrero Jr. settled with the Jays for a one-year deal worth $28.5 million earlier this offseason, a long-term extension has yet to be reached in Toronto. With Guerrero Jr. possibly set for free agency after the 2025 season, anxiety has begun to set in for Jays fans wary of their homegrown slugger leaving town.

Guerrero Jr. is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, where he hit .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs in 159 games. He also finished sixth in AL MVP voting.

In an interview with Foul Territory, Hernandez offered his confusion as to why the Jays haven’t been able to come to terms with the face of their franchise.

“I don’t know why there hasn’t been an extension,” Hernandez said. “Sometimes as a player, when you don’t see the organization try to keep you, you get a little angry. I don’t think the Blue Jays want that to happen to Vladdy. Hopefully, they can make it work because he wants to stay. But at the end of the day, it’s business, and you have to do what’s best for you and your family.”

Hernandez, who was traded to the Seattle Mariners in a shock deal in late 2022, has hit free agency each of the last two offseasons but ended up signing deals with the Dodgers on both occasions.

Guerrero Jr., meanwhile had previously stated in an interview done in Spanish with Abriendo Sports that he was in ongoing talks with Toronto on a long-term contract, but did not plan to negotiate a contract extension past the first day of spring training on February 18.

USA Today’s Bob Nightengale reported earlier this month there was a wide gap between the team’s valuation of Guerrero Jr. and his recent contract asks.

“Guerrero and the Blue Jays are at least $100 million apart, with Guerrero seeking at least $450 million,” Nightengale wrote earlier this month. “If Guerrero doesn’t receive an extension by spring training, he’ll test free agency. If Guerrero doesn’t return to the Blue Jays, he would love to be with the Red Sox, friends say, which may be why the Red Sox are hesitant in their pursuit of [free agent Alex] Bregman.”

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