MLB Spring Training Roundup: Vladdy Guerrero turns down Jays, Mike Trout's new position, former Red Sox hitter heading to Wrigley
Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the team failed to reach a contract extension on Monday night, paving the way for him to become a free agent in November.
"They have their numbers; I have my numbers," Guerrero said Tuesday.
Guerrero, a four-time All-Star, imposed a 9 p.m. deadline on Monday night to get an extension completed with the Blue Jays. Toronto failed to meet his timeline, calling at 10:30 p.m. The 25-year-old power hitter was asked by the media if he and the team came close to a deal; Guerrero replied with a simple, “No.”
Blue Jays general manager Russ Atkins told reporters in camp that the team’s offers were “very, very aggressive.”
"I am confident that we exhausted the communication, the ideas, and the thoughts and communicated every dollar," Atkins said Tuesday. "... The offers that we made for Vlad would've been record-setting and would've made him one of the highest-paid players in the game."
Guerrero did tell the media that he wouldn’t “close the door” on a “realistic” offer from the Blue Jays. He did say he wanted to be a member of the Blue Jays organization for the rest of his career but acknowledged this is a business.
"Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career," Guerrero said. "But it's free agency. It's business. So I'm going to have to listen to 29 more teams, and they're going to have to compete for that."
If Guerrero makes it to free agency, he will have numerous suitors, including the Red Sox.
“It’s no secret that Vladimir Guerrero has told friends that if he hits free agency, he’d love to play for the Boston Red Sox. Free agency begins in 8 1/2 months as Guerrero officially enters spring without a contract extension,” wrote USA Today’s Bob Nightengale on X on Tuesday.
If the Red Sox are true suitors for Guerrero, adding him to their young core with Rafael Devers, Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Marcelo Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and the current group of veterans in Alex Bregman (providing he doesn’t opt out) and Trevor Story should make Boston instant World Series contenders heading into the 2026 season.
Angels star outfielder Mike Trout will have a new position moving forward.
Trout will play right field and will also be the designated hitter this coming season. The move from center field to right field while mixing in time at DH, should provide Trout with a better chance to stay healthy moving forward.
"He could play anywhere," Angels general manager Perry Minasian said. "If we asked Mike Trout to play shortstop, he’d do it. He’s that kind of guy. For us, it’s just keeping him on the field. There’s no secret. He’s dying to play.
"For us, taking the load off in center field is really important, and not having that responsibility. … In our situation, we think it’s best for the team."
Trout has been the Angels center fielder since 2014 and hasn’t seen time in right field in 12 years. He has played just 17 games in right field in his career.
The 33-year-old is coming off an injury-plagued season where he appeared in just 29 games due to torn meniscus in his right knee. Trout has been limited the last couple of years, missing the last four months due to a calf strain in 2021, back spasms held him to just 119 games in 2022, a fractured bone in his wrist that sidelined him for almost the entirety of the last three months in 2023.
"It's gonna be fun," Trout said of his new position. "I'll enjoy it. Like I told them, I'm gonna go out there and just be as comfortable as I can. If I need to get early work, just to work on some things, get more comfortable, I'll do that."
Former Red Sox infielder/designated hitter Justin Turner has found a home for the 2025 season.
Turner has agreed to a one-year, $6 million deal with the Cubs; the deal will include an additional $2.5 million in bonuses. The addition of Turner gives the Cubs a veteran leader who can provide depth at both first base and third base.
The Cubs were looking for a backup for Michael Busch at first base and someone to provide depth if third baseman Matt Shaw struggles.
Turner becomes a fallback option for the Cubs, who was one of the team’s in the Alex Bregman sweepstakes before he signed with the Red Sox. Boston had considered a reunion with Turner had they not signed Bregman to a three-year, $120 million deal.
The 40-year-old slashed .259/.354/.383 across 539 plate appearances, splitting time with the Blue Jays and Mariners. At this point in Turner’s career, he would serve as a solid pinch-hitting bat off the bench while sprinkling him in sporadically into the starting lineup.
