It will be Toronto Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro (left) and Vladimir Guerrero’s agent Scott Shapiro (right), not related, that will be trying to hash out a contract extension for Guerrero Jr. before the start of spring training.

Jan. 7, 2025

By Danny Gallagher

Canadian Baseball Network

Shapiro vs. Shapiro.

It's sounds like a landmark court case but it's shaping up to be a landmark contract negotiation, the biggest in Toronto Blue Jays’ history, one that will influence the future of sports business in this country.

We're talking a generational talent, Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero (Montreal, Que.) the son of Vladimir Sr., a long-time Montreal Expos Hall of Fame player.

Scott Shapiro is Guerrero's agent and Mark Shapiro is the president of the Blue Jays They are not related but they are battling to come to grips as to what Guerrero is worth on a new contract of high-stakes proportions.

Scott Shapiro is part and parcel to a behemoth sports and entertainment empire headed by Grammy award winner Marc Anthony, who is the majority partner behind Magnus Media. It’s the umbrella organization hanging over Shapiro's shingle, Magnus Sports, an agency that caters to athletes such as Guerrero. 

Guerrero is going into the final season before free agency but the Jays have been attempting for several seasons to nail him down to a long-term deal. They have never been even close to an agreement. This deal should have been done several years ago. What’s the holdup?

Shapiro, the agent, is like Shapiro the president --  elusive and reclusive. Tight-lipped Scott Shapiro hasn’t been known to give interviews and Mark Shapiro talks to the media a few times a year.

Over the years, I’ve left messages for Scott Shapiro but he doesn’t acknowledge them. Most media don’t even mention Scott Shapiro. They merely say “Guerrero’s agent.’’

Helping Mark Shapiro out is his underling, general manager Ross Atkins, because in a case of this magnitude, it takes a small army to get a deal done. Edward Rogers, the owner of telecommunications giant Rogers, which in turns owns the Jays, also has a say in this matter because he will tell Mark Shapiro that he has his backing on large amounts of money. Team lawyers and accountants will be involved. 

Same with Scott Shapiro. He needs help on a deal like this.

Both sides are operating behind a curtain of deep privacy but that secrecy didn’t stop Guerrero from telling Abriendo Sports in the Dominican Republic recently that the team’s offer isn’t even close to what he’s seeking. Guerrero has also made it known he wants a long-term deal done by the start of spring training.

It's believed that Guerrero will not reach anywhere near the pacts achieved by Juan Soto or Shohei Ohtani. Guerrero just isn't in their field of achievement and offensive thrust. Soto signed for $765-million (U.S.) with the New York Mets and Ohtani inked a deal with the Dodgers worth $700-million, much of it deferred.

Guerrero's deal could approach $500-million over 10 years but so far, no ground has been broken. He's eligible for arbitration in 2025 and usually reliable sites such as MLB Trade Rumours and Spotrac have him projected for a salary of $29-million or more. The two sides will exchange arbitration numbers on Jan. 9 and it's very likely Guerrero will ask for more than $29-million, if there is no deal in advance.

If the Jays and Guerrero can't get together on a contract extension before spring training, the player will merely play out the season and allow himself to be a free agent following the 2025 season, at which time many teams will be lining up by the sidewalk to sign him.

Management might decide to keep Guerrero for the coming season without an extension and let the team take another crack at winning a division title. As a sideliner, Bo Bichette can also become a free agent following the 2025 season but his monetary value is inferior to Guerrero.

Complicating this Guerrero contract is his season in 2024 -- and his value. Until he got his haircut in June, his numbers had been dismal. After the cut, he went on a tear and finished with 30 homers, 103 RBIs and a .323 batting average. 

Guerrero is the face of the franchise, the face of baseball in Canada. If he does leave following the 2025 season and grab a monster contract with another team, it would be devastating for the Blue Jays, their fans and the country.

Heaven forbid if the Jays trade Guerrero before next season.

C’mon Scott and Mark, get it done on a long-term deal.

Danny Gallagher has been writing about news, sports and business since 1972.