Skip to main content

Toronto Blue Jays reach deals with 11 of 12 players ahead of arbitration. Guerrero is the lone exception

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrates his two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File) Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. celebrates his two-run home run against the Texas Rangers during the first inning of a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023. (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP, File)
Share

The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to one-year contracts Thursday with 11 of their 12 players who were eligible for salary arbitration, with the lone exception being three-time All-Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The Blue Jays agreed to deals with catchers Danny Jansen ($5.2 million) and Alejandro Kirk ($2.8 million), infielders Cavan Biggio ($4.2 million) and Santiago Espinal ($2,725,000), outfielder Daulton Varsho ($5.65 million), left-handed pitchers Génesis Cabrera ($1,512,000) and Tim Mayza ($3.59 million), and right-handed pitchers Jordan Romano ($7.75 million), Erik Swanson ($2.75 million), Trevor Richards ($2.15 million) and Nate Pearson ($800,000).

The Blue Jays still haven't reached a deal with Guerrero, who made $14.5 million last season and hit .264 with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. He led the American League with 48 homers in 2021.

Guerrero can still negotiate a deal with the team before a hearing. Eligible players without agreements will be scheduled for hearings before three-person panels from Jan. 29 through Feb. 16 in Scottsdale, Arizona.

Of the 11 players who agreed to deals, Romano's was the biggest. The two-time All-Star has been the Blue Jays' closer the past three seasons and had a 2.90 ERA with 36 saves last year.

Kirk, a 2022 All-Star, also got a big bump in pay, more than tripling his salary of $767,300 from last season.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque?

The Canadian government has unveiled its plans for a sweeping GST/HST pause on select items during the holiday period. The day after the announcement, questions remain on how the whole thing will work.

Stay Connected