The New York Mets are entering the 2025 season as a brand new franchise.
After setting the all-time contract record with a $765 million deal for superstar Juan Soto, the Mets have announced themselves as a perennial World Series contender that will spare no expense in acquiring the players they want.
Looking ahead to next offseason, that could mean breaking the bank once again as four-time All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tests the market.
After failing to reach an extension agreement with his current team, the Toronto Blue Jays, Guerrero has vowed to listen to offers from all interested parties after the 2025 season concludes and, given their willingness to spend for top talent, the Mets have been seen as a potential landing spot.
But winning the Guerrero sweepstakes won’t be easy, even for a team that’s willing to break contract records. The latest news indicates the young superstar is seeking a $500 million contract.
“The number Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wants is $500 million,” Ken Rosenthal reported for The Athletic. “Not $500 million before deferrals, but $500 million in present value, according to sources briefed on the first baseman’s contract negotiations with the Toronto Blue Jays.”
Now that Guerrero’s contract demands are public knowledge, the Mets will have a clearer sense of how the star might fit into their future plans. They re-signed first baseman Pete Alonso this winter to a short-term deal, perhaps anticipating that a younger option at the position would emerge. And pairing Guerrero alongside Soto and Francisco Lindor would create a fearsome batting lineup for years to come.
But the New York Post’s Jon Heyman has reported that the Mets’ decision is expected to be a passive one.
“Despite the speculation and the Mets’ well-stocked cash drawer, folks don’t believe they’d be the one to pay that,” per Heyman. “People around the game don’t see Mets honcho David Stearns spending that much money on a slugging first baseman — even a young one.”
Hearing that the Mets are likely to skip the Guerrero sweepstakes might disappoint some fans but, given the potential size of his next deal, it might be the prudent move.
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