The Blue Jays broadcaster and analyst re-posted a couple of podcast appearances to his X account where he says that it would be to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s benefit to test free agency.
As he says in his post, players work very hard to get to free agency so why should anyone be surprised that this is where the Blue Jays and Vladdy ended up.
I don't know Vladdy well enough personally, if I'm a Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. right now and if you are, wouldn't you wait it out and bet on yourself? I'd be betting on myself... to put up a pretty darn good year and be open to five, six, seven crazy bidders that are gonna go crazy again
As much as the Blue Jays tried, Vladdy always a bit inflexible when it came to the negotiations, an indication that perhaps his mind was made up from the beginning.
While this may not be the takeaway Blue Jays fans wanted to hear, it might be the most accurate one.
Vladdy still wants to be a Blue Jay, but he also wants to experience free agency. Those two things aren't mutually exclusive.