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Yankees predicted to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The New York Yankees are predicted to sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in next year’s free agency.

Guerrero imposed a deadline of the first day of spring training to sign a contract extension with the Toronto Blue Jays. After failing to reach a deal, Guerrero plans to test free agency, and MLB insider Steve Phillips expects the slugger to sign with the Yankees.

“He’s going to be a Yankee, I think he’s going to be a Yankee. I think Goldschmidt will be out after the year, Alonso won’t opt out, and Vladdy is going to be a Yankee,” Phillips said on MLB Network Radio. “They are going to give him short of Soto money. In the end, they’ll have Vladdy and Judge in the middle of the lineup instead of Soto and Judge. They’ll end up spending less money and they’ll end up being a great team moving forward and the best in the American League for years. I think Vladdy will be a Yankee moving forward.”

If Guerrero leaves Toronto for New York it would be a stunning move. But, Phillips believes the Yankees will be enticed to sign him to replace Juan Soto and give them a first baseman for years to come.

Guerrero hit .323 with 30 home runs and 103 RBIs in 2024. His career-high is 48 home runs and 111 RBIs which he accomplished in 2021.

Guerrero Would Like to Stay in Toronto

Although Phillips predicts Guerrero will sign with the Yankees, the slugger has said he wants to remain in Toronto.

Guerrero signed with the Blue Jays as an international free agent and is hopeful he can remain in Toronto.

“I love the city. I love the fans. This is hard,” Guerrero said. “But at the end of the day, it’s business. I will do anything, everything that I have to stay here with the Blue Jays because I love it here. I want to be here. Like I say, though, it’s business, and I want to be good with that, too.”

However, Guerrero says the Blue Jays will need to compete with the other 29 teams for him in free agency.

“They expressed what they had. I expressed what I had. I’m here, and we didn’t get an agreement. Now, they’re going to have to compete with 29 more teams,” Guerrero said.

Guerrero is a four-time All-Star.

Guerrero Claimed He’d Never Play for Yankees

If Guerrero does reach free agency, which is expected, he will have plenty of suitors for him.

However, in 2022, Guerrero claimed he would never play for the Yankees.

“No, not even dead, Guerrero said to Dotol Nastra in November 2022 when asked if he’d play for the Yankees.

Guerrero then doubled down on the comment a year later as he explained why he didn’t want to be a Yankee.

“It goes back with my family. That’s my decision, and I will never change that,” Guerrero added.

Despite Guerrero’s comments years ago, Phillips and many other insiders are expecting him to sign with the Yankees. If he does join New York, it will be intriguing to see what changed in his decision.

Cole Shelton Cole Shelton covers the NHL and MLB for Heavy.com. He has covered pro and college sports since 2016, including bylines at BJ Penn, USA Today, SB Nation, Rotowire, Canadian Baseball Network and more. More about Cole Shelton