Inside The Pinstripes

Impending Superstar Free Agent Confirms Interest in New York Yankees

The New York Yankees might be able to sign a franchise-changing free agent next winter.

Tyler Maher

Mar 16, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) breaks his bat on a ground ball against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning during spring training.
Mar 16, 2025; Dunedin, Florida, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) breaks his bat on a ground ball against the Atlanta Braves in the fifth inning during spring training. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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The New York Yankees love signing stars, and it sounds like they'll have the chance to add another one next winter.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is slated to become a free agent next offseason, assuming he doesn't sign an extension with the Toronto Blue Jays before then.

The Blue Jays are reportedly preparing a massive offer in the range of $550-600 million over 14 or 15 years, but nothing is official yet.

If they fail to lock up Guerrero, he could potentially receive more than that on the open market based on the recent contacts given to Shohei Ohtani, Juan Soto and others.

The 26-year-old slugger would likely incite a massive bidding war, one that only a handful of teams such as the Yankees could afford to win.

For his part, Guerrero confirmed in a recent interview that he'll consider all 30 teams, including New York.

"I'll speak to every team, including the Yankees," Guerrero said in Spanish to reporter Yancen Pujols, reiterating his comments from earlier this offseason that he's willing to overlook his previous anti-New York grudge.

Guerrero also spoke about his value, saying he believes he's currently worth a $565 million contract -- $200 million less than Soto. He said that a bad 2025 would lower his value to around $500 million, while an MVP-caliber year could push his value closer to $700 million.

Despite making four straight All-Star teams, Guerrero's been somewhat inconsistent during that time.

He was the AL MVP runner-up to Shohei Ohtani in 2021 and finished sixth in last year's AL MVP race, but his 2022 and 2023 seasons were less impressive. Another elite campaign could push him out of Toronto's price range, however, and perhaps other teams' budgets as well.

If Guerrero reaches free agency, the Yankees should do everything in their power to sign him.

Not only would he be a great wingman for Aaron Judge in the heart of their order, but they'd also be stealing him from a division rival.

The talented slugger would be a strong fit for New York.

He'd be a good long-term solution at first base -- where Paul Goldschmidt is currently on a one-year deal -- and a good consolation prize for losing Soto this winter.

With the season about to start, Guerrero's situation is worth monitoring.

If he and the Blue Jays don't come to an agreement soon, the Yankees should start preparing their own mega-offer to bring him to the Bronx next winter.

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Tyler Maher
TYLER MAHER

Tyler is a writer for Sports Illustrated's Yankees On SI. He grew up in Massachusetts and is a huge Boston sports fan, especially the Red Sox. He went to Tufts University and played club baseball for the Jumbos. Since graduating, he has worked for MLB.com, The Game Day, FanDuel and Forbes. When he's not writing about baseball, he enjoys running, traveling, and playing fetch with his golden retriever.

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