This time, there was no need to watch private jets, speak about flashy sushi dinners, or speculate if the best baseball player would choose Toronto. Blue Jays fans were relieved when the superstar they wanted forever did not disappoint.
According to SportsNet, first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed a 14-year, $500 million agreement with no deferred money after weeks of hopeful speculations.
The deal is the second richest in major league history, after Juan Soto's $765 million guaranteed from the New York Mets and ahead of Shohei Ohtani's highly deferred $700 million deal, which is worth roughly $465 million today.
Over the past three years, the Blue Jays appeared ready to pay any of those three players record amounts.
The Blue Jays' failure to sign Ohtani, Soto, and several other free agents raised questions about whether player agents were utilizing their desperate need to win with young stars Guerrero and Bo Bichette remaining on their roster to raise client pricing.
Guerrero's impending free agency was a turning point. Guerrero, 26, might become one of the youngest and most accomplished free agents, perhaps less so than Soto.
Four-time all-star Guerrero averages over 31 homers per 162 games with a.861 career OPS and room to grow. If Toronto could keep him, the failed Ohtani and Soto efforts would hurt less because they would have a nearly as good domestic talent to develop around.
But if he and fellow 2025 free agent Bichette left this winter, this once-promising Blue Jays era would last only a few months, with only three first-round appearances and no postseason wins.
As it happened last season, the Blue Jays would have to contemplate dealing one or both of their homegrown stars if neither had an agreement and they dropped out of contention by the trade deadline.
The pressure was on. Guerrero set a deadline of the first full day of spring training, but no deal was reached. The Blue Jays were facing their worst-case situation again.