Blue Jays manager gets honest about helping Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s clubhouse vision come true
The Toronto Blue Jays and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. have not kicked off the 2025 preseason on the right note, with negotiations for contract extensions not amounting to anything. The strenuous relationship between the club and the first baseman could affect the rest of the team, who look to get back into the postseason after missing out last season.
One of the key points emphasized by Guerrero Jr. ahead of the 2025 season was about improving clubhouse communication.
Talking about the same during an interview with MLB Network on Monday, Blue Jays manager John Schneider spoke about fostering an open dialogue within the team.
"For one, you got to be involved with it, right? You're involved with it every day, and you want to be in tune with what the players are talking about," Schneider said. "You know, it's not Monday morning quarterback—‘Hey, Schneides, why'd you do this? Why'd you do that?’ Those are things we talk about.
"But I just think spending time together away from the field, being there late, talking about the game, talking about the next game… I don’t want to say it’s something we’ve been lacking here, but I think we could do a better job of that from a player and staff standpoint. And I think bringing in the guys that we did will help do that in a hurry."
Schneider believes the bond within the team is strong, especially among the pitching staff, but sees room for improvement across the board.
"It's everyone pulling in the same direction," the manager added. "We have a very, very close group, especially our pitching staff. But I think we can take another step forward with everybody."
Blue Jays look ahead to turbulent season with the likes of Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting mentioned in trade talks
The Blue Jays didn't help themselves by not getting an extension done with their brightest star before spring training. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. claims his camp's final counteroffer to the Blue Jays was under $600 million.
Guerrero Jr. has shut down any contract talks during the season as he's laser-focused before turning free agent after the 2025 season.
If Guerrero Jr. doesn't show any signs of an extension, the team will be better off trading him and acquiring some key assets by saving on his half-year rental. This of course goes without saying that this will only happen if the team doesn't start the season as a postseason contender.
If the team has any shot at a World Series title, then they won't be trading their first baseman. So a lot depends on how the club performs before the trade deadline as they contemplate on how to maximize Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s presence.