James Atama
The Boston Red Sox now find themselves in an ideal position to respond to critics regarding their spending habits. On January 7, baseball columnist Bob Nightengale reported that Toronto Blue Jays All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has expressed a strong desire to join the Red Sox in 2026, should he not receive a contract extension from Toronto.
This news could not have arrived at a more opportune moment for Red Sox fans, who have been vocal about the team’s reluctance to invest in free agents this offseason. The team desperately needs a powerful right-handed bat to enhance their lineup, and Guerrero fits the bill perfectly.
Throughout his six seasons with the Blue Jays, Guerrero has excelled, boasting a career slash line of .288/.363/.500 with a 21.5 WAR primarily at first base. He has been an All-Star in four of those years and has received MVP nominations three times, along with two Silver Slugger Awards and one Gold Glove Award. Notably, he was also the cover athlete for MLB: The Show in 2024.
Sox owner John Henry would be remiss not to consider meeting Guerrero’s substantial contract demands. According to Nightengale, the slugger is seeking a deal worth at least $450 million, which would make him the highest-paid player on the Red Sox, surpassing Rafael Devers’ $313.5 million extension signed in 2023.
While such a price tag may seem intimidating, the market for elite talent continues to rise, and more teams are willing to invest heavily. The Red Sox should not be deterred by Guerrero’s asking price.
A more aggressive approach for the Red Sox would be to trade for Guerrero and promptly offer him the contract he desires. The Blue Jays finished fifth in the AL East last season with a 74-88 record, and even after acquiring Gold Glove winner Andrés Giménez, they seem unlikely to contend with the Yankees or Red Sox in the coming seasons. Given that Toronto is at least $100 million short of meeting Guerrero’s desired contract extension, trading him before the July deadline would be a prudent move to avoid entering the next season empty-handed.
Guerrero would seamlessly integrate into Boston’s lineup, ideally batting third or fourth behind Devers, while also bolstering the infield defense. The Red Sox could consider offering Triston Casas and some prospects in exchange, or utilize Casas in another trade to enhance their bullpen further.
Making a concerted effort to acquire Guerrero could only benefit the Red Sox, aligning both parties’ interests and bringing them closer to the ultimate goal in baseball: winning the World Series.
