BOSTON — There was a sense of calm that spread through the visitors’ clubhouse at Fenway Park earlier this week. Veteran George Springer was stretched out on one of the few couches in the tight space, a setup that matched the cramped, timeworn feel that comes with Fenway, watching the Masters on one of the tiny televisions. Bo Bichette beamed with confidence as he exited one of the team’s daily hitters’ meetings, making his way back to his locker on the far side of the clubhouse.
Sure, the Blue Jays had reason to be jubilant. They were on their way to taking three of four from the Red Sox at Fenway Park — a place that’s given them fits the past couple of years. Both Springer and Bichette have gotten off to strong and steady starts, respectively, after down years in 2023.
But even with those early wins, one development stood out more than the rest in fueling the optimism around this group: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s long-term extension, which is expected to keep him in Toronto for what’s likely the remainder of his career.
“I’ve been with him my entire professional career,” Bichette said. “I know it’s what he wanted and what the organization wanted. So, to see him get it done is not only great for me to see, but I think it’s great for the whole team.”
There’s something to be said for certainty and stability. For the last couple of seasons that has hung in the balance.
For all of its talent, the club hasn’t lived up to expectations, getting swept in back-to-back Wild Card Series in 2022 and 2023. Then, in 2024, the team, despite having one of the best rosters in baseball on paper, missed the playoffs entirely, finishing last in the AL East.
And while Toronto looked like a prime landing spot for free agents, several top-tier names went elsewhere. Shohei Ohtani chose the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season, then delivered a World Series title and picked up his third MVP. This past offseason, Juan Soto chose the Mets over the Yankees, Red Sox, and… the Blue Jays.
Guerrero’s pending free agency certainly didn’t convince Soto that Toronto was a stable destination. That’s when the angst started to build inside the organization. Not only had they been passed over by superstar talent, but now they faced the risk of losing their own homegrown cornerstone and superstar in Guerrero.
But Guerrero quelled some of that uncertainty, ultimately agreeing to a 14-year, $500 million deal with a staggering $325-million signing bonus. For Guerrero, Toronto is home.
“It’s always been my goal to be here, and I feel like I accomplished that,” Guerrero said earlier in the week once the deal became official. “Like I always say, I just trusted in the process. Every step with my family, my agents, my close ones, I had faith that the outcome would be a good one.”
Franchise players are the linchpins of an organization. Even through the lows, there’s value in the steady presence of a superstar. Springer knows that well. He came up in an Astros system that watched Jose Altuve grind through the cellar, then eventually lift the team to the rafters.
“I think when you have a guy like that, whether it’s Vladdy, Altuve, [Rafael] Devers, or a guy like Bobby Witt [Jr.] or [Mike] Trout, I feel like every team has a guy who you can kind of see and, kind of look at and associate that team with,” Springer said. “And, for Vladimir, I think, he’s going to be here for a long time, and he’s going to be a steady, calming presence.”
It’s a calming presence that allows players such as Bichette, another homegrown cornerstone player, to see a future with his longtime friend and teammate in Toronto. If the Blue Jays had traded or allowed Guerrero to walk in free agency, Bichette would have almost certainly been on his way out, too.
“I think it just gives the team certainty,” Bichette said. “It gives the team an identity.”
A steady and calming presence now gives those superstar players who once passed on Toronto a reason to take a second look because of Guerrero.
“I mean, he’s one of the biggest personalities in the game and people gravitate toward him,” added Bichette.
The gravitational pull of a giant like Guerrero should position the Blue Jays as a threat for years to come.
“It’s been 10 or 11 years since I’ve been here,” said Guerrero. “It is a family.”
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