Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has apologized days after saying his $500 million contract extension was more of a reward for past performance rather than a reflection of his value moving forward.
Guerrero Jr. on Friday, ahead of his team's season-ending home series against the Cincinnati Reds, issued the following statement, via MLB.com:
"I want to tell everyone that I'm going to continue to keep working hard to make my contract a great one.
…
"I feel that the comments I made the other day is not what I really wanted to say. Everyone deserves an apology from me."
Guerrero Jr. said he regretted his comments and felt like he owed an apology to the fans and his teammates.
Vladdy starts his availability with a statement, through interpreter:
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) September 25, 2026
“The reason I'm here because I regret my comments the other day … I feel from my heart, my fans, my teammates, they needed an apology from me, and that's why I'm here for.”#BlueJays
Additionally, Guerrero Jr. said he decided to apologize after speaking with his father, Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr.
The controversy stemmed from what the 27-year-old first baseman recently told Telemicro News, as translated by Héctor Gómez:
"The contract I got was based on what I did, not necessarily for what I'm going to do. I understand why the fans believe it's the other way around. Sometimes I think that way too, like 'oh they give me this money and I'm not doing enough', but you know I try my best and I'm working hard.
"The fans I know how they are, when you are doing great they are 100% behind you but when you are not at your best not everybody is behind you, almost nobody supports you. Those are my real fans, the ones that are supporting me all the time."
Guerrero Jr.'s original comments were ill-timed, as the reigning American League champion Blue Jays have been eliminated from playoff contention, and Guerrero Jr. himself has endured a highly disappointing season:
The above comes to an OPS+ of just 92, or a park-adjusted OPS that's 8% worse than the league average. Coming into 2026, he had a career OPS+ of 136. This season, Guerrero Jr. has hit just nine home runs and only one at home. He's slugged just .360, and his WAR has dropped from 4.6 a season ago to 1.3 in 2026. This decline in production has come in the first year of that $500 million extension, which will run through the 2039 season.
The only way Guerrero Jr. can truly put those struggles behind him is with a strong 2027, and his words on Friday suggest he's dedicated to making that happen.
The last-place Blue Jays enter the final weekend of the regular season with a record of 77-82, which means they've ensured a losing season for the second time in the last three years.
