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The Toronto Blue Jays’ unlikely World Series run has come on the heels of a major offseason storyline. Heading into the 2025 season, the focus was on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and his impending free agency this winter. The team solved that problem by signing him to a monster 14-year, $500 million contract. At the time, the contract raised some eyebrows. Guerrero, while a highly talented player, wasn’t quite in the same echelon as Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani. Still, the Blue Jays felt it necessary to lock up their franchise player irrespective of the cost. Guerrero Jr. could have commanded more on the open market. But chose to stay with the Blue Jays despite the eye-watering cost. With the contract controversy behind him, Guerrero set out to deliver on the promise. He ended the season with 23 home runs and 84 RBIs. He hit .292 and an .848 OPS. The numbers were a far cry from his ridiculous 2021 season in which he mashed 48 dingers. Nevertheless, the season was an encouraging sign despite being a “down” year for the 26-year-old slugger. Whatever criticism there may remain has quieted down in light of Guerrero Jr. getting ALCS MVP honors. His six home runs and 12 RBIs to go with his .442 average this postseason have been the thing of storybook playoff runs. His grand slam against the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS and his four-hit effort against the Mariners in Game 3 of the ALCS have been the highlights of this postseason run. But that’s just the beginning. A World Series win would make the Blue Jays’ $500 million investment look like a drop in the bucket. Blue Jays World Series Win Would Erase Any Doubt regarding Guerrero Jr. Even if Guerrero Jr. failed to get a hit in the World Series this season, a win for the Blue Jays would erase all doubt regarding his value. The Mets made Soto the highest-paid player in MLB history, and still couldn’t make the playoffs. Fans and the media have turned on the Mets, criticizing their move. In contrast, the mind-shocking contract the Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani has gone unnoticed as the future Hall of Famer won a championship in his first season with the team. If Guerrero Jr. goes the way of Ohtani, Blue Jays fans will hardly complain about the money paid to him. The World Series victory, even before the contract kicks in, would be well worth the cost. Guerrero Would Still Have something to Prove if Toronto Loses World Series The alternate ending to this season has the Blue Jays losing to the Dodgers in the World Series. The ending would leave Guerrero Jr. with something to prove. While making it to the World Series this season would be a fantastic step forward, there would remain unfinished business. Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays would need to win a World Series at some point to dispel any doubts regarding the deal. Given the Blue Jays’ current core, that could be a likely outcome. However, Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays may face challenges with their pitching staff down the road. Be that as it may, the time is now for Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays to give fans something to remember for the next three decades or so.
