The saga surrounding Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s future has only gotten more dramatic in recent weeks. The Blue Jays recently announced that they were unable to come to an agreement on an extension for the young first baseman before his self-imposed deadline of Feb. 17, meaning he's on track to become a free agent at the end of the season.
ESPN analyst Buster Olney wasn't too kind to the Jays for their handling of the situation. In an appearance on SportsCenter, Olney said the Jays are in a "mess of their own making," arguing that they should have traded Guerrero last season if he wasn't willing to accept their last, best offer. Now, they'll have to settle for far less if they decide to trade him at this year's deadline.
Olney continued to say that, "They should have learned from what happened with Shohei Ohtani and the Angels. They blew it."
Those words ring like music to Red Sox fans' ears. There's been plenty of speculation about Guerrero moving to Boston, whether via free agency or a trade. This recent development makes either method a real possibility.
ESPN analyst Buster Olney slams Blue Jays' failings on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. extension, but it's good news for the Red Sox
There's no doubt of Guerrero's talent. While he doesn't offer much in the way of defense, he has a lethal combination of bat-to-ball skills and prodigious power that makes him one of the best hitters in the game. After down years (by his standards) in 2022 and 2023, he rebounded last year, posting a monstrous .940 OPS with 30 homers and 103 RBI. He's also been a menace at Fenway throughout his career, with a .358 batting average and 44 RBI in 45 games.
So how to the Red Sox bring him to Boston? If they Jays aren't competing by the deadline, they could try to trade for Guerrero before he hits free agency. The price wouldn't be steep since it'd only be for half a year, but a deal short-term might not be worth it, especially since he can just leave in free agency at the end of the season. However, if the Red Sox are confident they can convince him to stay once he becomes a free agent, a trade might make sense. Triston Casas, who he'd replace at first base in this scenario, would likely go to Toronto.
The alternative would be to wait until he hits free agency and start fresh. The Red Sox should be a frontrunner as Guerrero loves hitting at Fenway, they have the money to sign him and they'll be a competitive team. The downside is the cost — since he'll hit free agency so young, his contract is projected to be north of $350 million. Whether the Sox will be willing to spend that remains to be seen.