Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s $500M Quote Draws Barstool Fire

That's why the market question keeps coming up. Toronto is coming off an AL pennant and a World Series run in 2025, and Vlad was a big part of it. This year they were supposed to contend for a title and instead they're about to miss the playoffs. Picture a Yankee or a Met signed through 2039 saying on camera that his deal was a thank-you for past work. The back pages would run it for a month.

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This interview from Vlad Jr believing Toronto paid him for what he’s already done has been making waves today. Could you imagine if a player in another market said this?

Barstool Sports@barstoolsports

“They didn’t pay me to hit 40 every year. They paid me for what I already did.” Vlad Jr is 27 talking like he’s 47 t.co/JT1XCkzIns

To be fair to Vlad, he got asked about it after Tuesday's loss to the Orioles and gave more of an explanation. He said through an interpreter that he was answering a question about how his year felt: "I feel really bad about the year that I had, that I couldn't help my team get to the postseason." He also said the contract is on his mind every at-bat he fails, because fans "pay to go to see me be successful." That's a lot more reasonable. He just didn't take the original line back. Asked if he regretted it, he said, "No, I don't regret myself. I'm not lying with what I say."

So that's where it stands. Technically he's right: every contract gets priced off what a player has already done. You just can't be the one to say it out loud in year 1 of 14. Toronto has an offseason to decide if this was a bad translation or a bad sign. Until Vlad starts hitting again, and hitting at home especially, the quote is going to follow him around.