The Toronto Blue Jays elected not to go out quietly this offseason, and it may directly impact the Boston Red Sox and their potential pursuit of landing four-time All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Toronto signed free-agent outfielder Anthony Santander to a five-year, $92.5 million contract in free agency, per ESPN’s Jorge Castillo, on Monday. Immediately the middle of its lineup, which recorded the fifth fewest home runs (156) among all teams in baseball last season, improved vastly. Santander is fresh off crushing a career-best 44 home runs as a first-time All-Star with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024.
Satander’s ascendance and Guerrero’s well-established power could create the most lethal one-two punch in the American League East. That potential doesn’t just pose a threat to pitching staffs in the division including Boston’s, but it also allows Guerrero to consider staying put with the Blue Jays for the long run. Guerrero is targeting the start of spring training, which for Toronto is Feb. 13, as the deadline date to strike a deal.
Should the Blue Jays fail, it’ll be up to Guerrero as the 25-year-old approaches the open market as an unrestricted free agent next offseason.
The Red Sox have already been linked to Guerrero as a destination the two-time Silver Slugger recipient “would love” to join, according to USA Today’s Bob Nightingale. Guerrero has plenty of respect in Boston’s clubhouse and nearly joined franchise star Rafael Devers in the 2023 World Baseball Classic with the Dominican Republic squad.
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Boston failed to land another Dominican native and member of the 2023 WBC team in Juan Soto, demonstrating its willingness to open its wallets in free agency.
Toronto, too, has had its fair share of free agency failures. The Blue Jays secured a meeting with two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani last offseason, and this go-around, the franchise fell short of signing international free agent pitcher Roki Sasaki — who joined Ohtani and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers instead.
This offseason, however, Toronto didn’t fall completely empty.
Santander, although a late offseason signing, entered the market as one of the best hitters available. The 30-year-old veteran has spent each of his eight career seasons playing in the American League East, making Santander plenty familiar with Toronto’s Rogers Centre and Boston’s Fenway Park.
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Guerrero has never won a playoff series, going 0-for-3 in the AL wild-card with the Blue Jays and missed postseason contention entirely last season. Toronto finished 20 games back of the division-leading New York Yankees and 12 games behind in the wild-card race, keeping one of baseball’s brightest hitters from performing on the brightest stage.
Toronto, under Guerrero’s extension deadline, should feel pressure to lock up its home-grown star soon. However, the roster improvement could also help prevent the Red Sox from creeping in and snagging the left-handed slugger.
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