Toronto Blue Jays fans hoping the team will ink star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to a long-term deal got a massive dose of optimism Thursday. Team president Mark Shapiro told reporters that he’s confident the team will still get a deal done with Guerrero, despite reports that the first baseman rejected a $500 million extension.

Shapiro, who has served as the team’s president since 2015, said he believes the Blue Jays “will sign [Guerrero.] I think we’re going to extend him.” 

Despite saying he did not want to negotiate a contract extension once spring training started, Guerrero offered similar quotes Thursday, saying that he also felt optimistic about a deal and that he would not shut the door on returning to the Blue Jays.

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That’s quite the development after Guerrero turned down a reported $500 million extension from the team prior to the start of spring training. In early March, he confirmed that he rejected the team’s most recent offer and implied he is seeking a deal closer to $600 million, per ESPN.

Shapiro didn’t directly address the reported gap in contract talks, but he noted that Guerrero could need to hit free agency to get a better feel for what other teams believe he’s worth.

“The challenge has been, the area we’ve talked about before, finding the sweet spot of sharing risk. What defines that sweet spot? Different contracts, different moments in time that make it more of a challenge or less of a challenge, ultimately, sometimes free agency provides the clearest answer to that. Could be before free agency, could be during free agency. But I’m optimistic we will sign him. That’s how I feel.”

Allowing that to happen could be a significant risk. Between now and the end of the season, the Blue Jays have exclusive rights to Guerrero and are the only team that can ink him to a long-term deal. By letting Guerrero reach free agency, the team risks a bidding war with multiple franchises. While Shapiro still believes the Jays would come out on top, he’s playing a dangerous game, especially if Guerrero is willing to negotiate a new deal after his self-imposed February deadline.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could receive massive deal in free agency

At 26, Guerrero stands to receive a superstar-caliber contract should he hit the free-agent market. Since reaching the majors in 2019, he has performed like one of the best young hitters in the game. He carries a career .288/.363/.500 slash line with 160 home runs over six seasons. He’s also a four-time All-Star who nearly won an MVP award in 2021.

Guerrero doesn’t offer the same value as Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani, and he hasn’t reached the same offensive heights as Juan Soto, but it’s rare for a player to hit the market with Guerrero’s combination of excellent stats and youth.

Guerrero might ultimately fall short of Ohtani or Soto money, but he’ll likely wind up among the highest paid players in the game after this season. The Blue Jays know as much, and they know the risks of letting Guerrero reach free agency.

If Shapiro truly is confident that the team will ink Guerrero to a long-term deal, it would be in Toronto’s best interest to get it done before 29 other MLB franchises can enter the fray.  

Brooklyn Nets forward Trendon Watford lost his cool during Thursday’s contest against the Indiana Pacers. He also may have lost the game for his team. Watford was ejected late in the fourth quarter after shoving multiple Indiana Pacers players, including Myles Turner. 

The incident occurred with just under five minutes to go in regulation. With the Pacers in catch-up mode, guard Bennedict Mathurin hit a shot to cut the team’s deficit to five points. As both teams were running back down the court, Watford shoved Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard. Turner got involved, and was promptly shoved by Watford, which started a scuffle.

Benches cleared, but no punches were thrown. While cooler heads may have ultimately prevailed, the officials still decided to take action. Officials issued two double technical fouls. Watford and Turner were the recipients of the first double technical. Watford then was charged with another, as he and Nembhard were also charged with technicals for instigating the scuffle. 

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Since Watford received two technical fouls, he was ejected from the contest. He finished the game with 15 points and five rebounds.

Watford’s ejection may have been the deciding factor in Thursday’s game. The Pacers used the adrenaline from the incident to promptly tie things up. Both teams traded baskets in the final minutes, sending the game to overtime. 

Indiana found its footing late in overtime, going on an 11-3 run in the final two minutes to win the contest 105-99. After the ejection, Watford could only watch from the locker room as his team fumbled the game away.