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Vladimir Guerrero Jr. confirms his stance on playing for the Yankees
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. confirms his stance on playing for the Yankees,Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is potentially two seasons away from hitting the free-agent market.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. confirms his stance on playing for the Yankees

Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is potentially two seasons away from hitting the free-agent market. While the two-time All-Star mulls his uncertain future, he reminded the New York Yankees on Friday that they have no shot at acquiring his services should he fail to negotiate a long-term deal with the Jays. 

“It’s a personal thing. It goes back with my family,” Guerrero said, via Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. “That’s my decision and I will never change that.” 

Guerrero is nothing if not consistent. Last November, Guerrero said he liked playing in New York for one reason: to “kill the Yankees.” The 23-year-old then vowed that he’d never wear Yankee pinstripes. 

“I would never sign with the Yankees, not even dead,” Guerrero said. 

In January, Guerrero dug in further, telling a young fan during a Q&A that the Yankees were the “easiest” team he played during the 2022 campaign.  

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. tells a young fan that the Yankees were the easiest team to play against last season pic.twitter.com/PWIo1zxCUO

— Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) January 21, 2023

Guerrero has enjoyed playing the Yankees during his five-year MLB career. Over 65 games against New York, Guerrero is batting .289/.346/.518 with 13 home runs and 41 RBI. 

Kicking off a weekend series at Yankee Stadium on Friday, Guerrero will no doubt be looking to do even more damage against the Jays’ AL East rival. 

Guerrero is off to a solid start to the 2023 season. Entering Friday’s action, the two-time All-Star has gone 25-for-74 at the plate with three home runs, nine RBI and nine walks. However, his contract looms large over the Blue Jays. 

Last September, Guerrero said he was open to a long-term extension with the team, hoping to get something done during the offseason. But the winter months came and went without a deal. 

Guerrero ultimately inked a one-year, $14.5 million contract with Toronto, avoiding arbitration. He has two arbitration years remaining before becoming eligible for free agency in 2026.