A rival player thinks Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s new $500 million contract with the Toronto Blue Jays will be very good news for him.
New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso could not hide his own enthusiasm in reaction to the 14-year contract extension Guerrero signed with Toronto. Alonso can opt out of his own contract after the 2025 season, and he made clear that he feels he stands a much better chance of cashing in on himself.
“This is huge for first basemen,” Alonso said, via Will Sammon and Tim Britton of The Athletic. “Half a billion dollars, it’s a huge, huge amount. For him, it’s a fantastic deal. It’s great for the first-base market, I think. I mean, 14 years — he’s a stud. Well deservedly so.”
Alonso endured a difficult free agency last offseason. He remained unsigned into February and wound up having to settle for a two-year, $54 million deal to return to the Mets. That deal does grant him the opportunity to opt out and test the market again this coming offseason.
Alonso will undoubtedly use the Guerrero deal as a benchmark for himself, but it is unclear if the league will see things the same way. Alonso tops Guerrero in the power department, but Guerrero’s .287 career average is nearly 40 points higher than Alonso’s .249. Guerrero is also over four years younger than Alonso is.
There is no question that Guerrero’s deal could be beneficial for Alonso, and he is right to be pleased with the fact that some teams are still willing to hand out big money for first basemen. Whether he can get the long-term deal he wants, be it from the Mets or someone else, remains to be seen.
