TORONTO (AP) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doesn’t seem too concerned about his 2024 pay being determined by a three-person arbitration panel, even though he hasn’t gone through the process before.
This is most likely due to Guerrero’s potential to break the record for the largest arbitration pay ever given, win or lose.
Guerrero is certain to surpass the $14 million that former Toronto teammate Teoscar Hernández won from Seattle after Hernández lost his hearing last year. Guerrero has sought for $19.9 million and been awarded $18.05 million.
In an interview to promote his inclusion on the cover of the 2024 video game MLB The Show, Guerrero stated, “I feel very happy,” through a translator.
Guerrero remarked, “I feel even happier because he’s my good friend, and now I can give him a hard time about it.”
During their four seasons as Blue Jays partners, Guerrero and Hernández made it to the postseason in 2020 and 2022.
Guerrero, the current Home Run Derby winner and three-time All-Star, revealed that following two consecutive seasons of diminishing output, he has made some small mechanical changes to his swing this summer. In 2021, he hit a career-high 48 home runs and 111 RBIs; the next year, he added 32 home runs and 97 RBIs. Last season, Guerrero hit 26 home runs and 94 RBI.
Guerrero claimed to have “improved my mechanics to have as little movement as possible.” You might not even notice with the unaided eye. I can sense the difference, thus I know it exists.
Toronto qualified for the October playoffs for the third time in four years and for the second time in a row, however they lost all three of those games. In a two-game sweep in Minnesota, Toronto managed only one run, prolonging a playoff skid that began in 2016 when the Blue Jays fell to Cleveland 4-1 in the AL Championship Series.
The Blue Jays have been quiet this winter after losing out on Shohei Ohtani, but they have added previous Gold Glove winners in outfielder Kevin Kiermaier and infielder/outfielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa. Third baseman Justin Turner has been in talks with the Blue Jays.
“I’m content with the group,” Guerrero declared. “I’m focusing more on my performance and making sure I’m representing myself well.”
Greater changes had been made by Toronto in the coaching ranks: Matt Hague was promoted from Triple-A Buffalo to assistant hitting coach, Carlos Febles was hired as third base coach and DeMarlo Hale as associate manager, and Don Mattingly was moved from bench coach to offensive coordinator.
Guerrero has great expectations for right-hander Alek Manoah’s next season. After going 1-7 with a 6.36 ERA in June of last year, the 2022 AL Cy Young Award nominee was sent down to the rookie-level Florida Complex League. After returning to the major league roster in July, Manoah went 2-2 with a 4.91 ERA in seven starts. However, after being optioned to Triple-A in August, he never pitched at any level again.
“His comeback excites me,” Guerrero remarked. As a pitcher, he has undoubtedly seen highs and lows, but he always gives it his best, and I truly appreciate that.
Following Toronto’s elimination from the playoffs in October of last year, general manager Ross Atkins announced that Manoah had undergone an injection to ease shoulder pain and that further testing had not shown any structural damage.
