The $500 million slugger who takes Canada to the World Series

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. wants fans to have no doubt that he was “born ready.”

The Canadian-born, Dominican Republic-raised slugger who just signed a $500 million (£374 million) contract – the third largest in Major League Baseball (MLB) history – is widely considered the team’s best player and one of the main reasons why Toronto is finally in the World Series for the first time in 32 years.

In many ways, his life had been unfolding up to this very moment. His father, Baseball Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., spent most of his career playing for the now-defunct Montreal Expos, but a World Series title always eluded him.

His son, born in Montreal, is now committed to bringing the championship ring home and giving it to his father.

“My personal goal is to win a World Series and give the ring to my dad,” the younger Guerrero said in an interview with Tom Verducci of Fox Sports and Sports Illustrated.

Guerrero played a major role in Toronto’s playoff success and was crowned Most Valuable Player in the division series leading up to the championship.

Now, the Toronto Blue Jays will face the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday in Game 1 of the World Series, in what promises to be a story-book matchup between the defending champions and the underdogs.

Both teams are backed by two of the most exciting talents in modern baseball. For Los Angeles, it’s Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese superstar whose record $700 million contract made headlines around the world and who is lauded for being elite as both a pitcher and a hitter.

For Toronto, it was Guerrero Jr – affectionately known as Vladdy Jr among fans – who made headlines earlier this year in April after signing the astonishing 14-year, multi-million contract with Toronto.

This agreement was noteworthy not only for its scale, but also for what it symbolized. Guerrero Jr, whose baseball career was closely watched since the age of three, while warming up with his father and the Expos, effectively dedicated the rest of his playing life to Canada’s only MLB team.

At the time, Guerrero Jr said he felt “lucky to carry on my father’s legacy and represent an entire country” and pledged to bring the World Series championship back to Canada.

Before April, this promise seemed distant. The Blue Jays finished the 2024 season at the bottom of their division, and the start of this year was tinged with uncertainty over whether Toronto had what it took — financially and culturally — to keep a superstar like Guerrero Jr.

“Toronto is notorious for not signing big free agents because they don’t want to play here,” preferring more lucrative hubs like New York or Los Angeles, said Liz McGuire, a longtime Blue Jays fan who hosts a podcast called Jay Bird Watching.

The Canadian town had already been burned. In 2017, fan favorite José Bautista was lured by the promise of bigger winnings.

In 2023, Toronto went into a frenzy following a rumor that Ohtani was going to sign with the Blue Jays. Fans obsessively followed a private jet flying from Orange County to Toronto in hopes of catching a glimpse of its arrival in the city.

But when the plane’s doors opened, Canadian businessman and television personality Robert Herjavec stepped out. The next day, Ohtani announced he had signed a 10-year contract with the Dodgers in sunny Los Angeles. Hearts sank across Toronto.

But the Blue Jays still had Guerrero Jr, who had been playing with them since he was just 16 years old.

“He was hitting dingers when he was a kid,” Ms. McGuire recalled, using the slang term for a home run. When she learned the team had signed him to a 14-year contract, she celebrated by spending $2,500 on a used bat signed by him.

Guerrero Jr. earned his exorbitant salary not only on the field, but also by being “incredibly personable,” said Rob Silver, an Expos fan turned Blue Jays fan who lives in Ottawa and hosts a baseball podcast called Launch Angle.

“The fact that he’s a big kid who happens to be a supernatural superstar and a future Hall of Famer, and he chose us, that’s it.”

Fans are quick to point out Guerrero Jr’s sportsmanship and dedication to Toronto, on and off the field. In Game 5 against the Seattle Mariners, he rushed onto the field to help his teammate, outfielder George Springer, limp to the bench after being hit in the kneecap with a ball. Springer would go on to hit the game-winning three-run homer in game seven.

Off the field, Guerrero Jr appears humble. He lives with his grandmother and has even incorporated his traditional Dominican dishes into his trainer’s diet. In recent years, the native Spanish speaker has started giving more interviews in English to connect with Canadian fans.

And in what might be the biggest sign of his total embrace of the city, Guerrero Jr. donned an Auston Matthews Toronto Maple Leafs jersey before Game 7 against Seattle — ignoring any warnings about supposed curses (the hockey team has failed to make it to the Stanley Cup year after year).

It was a cheeky nod to Canada’s most popular sport. Although baseball – known colloquially as “America’s Pastime” – does not hold the same place in Canadian national identity as ice hockey, the Jays’ victory became a rallying moment for the entire country.

In Toronto, hundreds of people filled the streets, climbing poles, playing bagpipes and waving Canadian flags while performing an impromptu rendition of the national anthem. In Calgary, a hockey game was briefly interrupted to announce the Blue Jays’ victory. In New Brunswick, a local church put up a sign reading: “Thank you God for your love and for George Springer!

The Blue Jays also benefit from American support. Cole Greenhouse, a U.S. Navy lieutenant commander from Missouri, said he usually cheers for the St. Louis Cardinals. This World Series, however, he is supporting Toronto.

His first baseball cap at age 11 was a Blue Jays one, he recalls. On Tuesday, he wore a similar cap “so everyone could see” his support.

Nichole Perry, a Chicago Cubs fan who lives in Phoenix, Arizona, said she also supports the Blue Jays. Ms. Perry said she and other baseball fans were tired of the Dodgers’ seemingly limitless budget and “super team,” and that it was heartening to see how much Canada has embraced the sport it loves.

The victory was also felt in Guerrero Jr’s hometown of Don Gregorio in the Dominican Republic, with videos circulating online showing fans celebrating the team.

Many recognize that the Los Angeles Dodgers are a tough team to beat. But many fans still believe the Blue Jays could win it all. “The nature of baseball is unlike any other sport,” Mr. Silver said. “Realistically, any team can win.”

After the win over Seattle on Monday, cameras caught Guerrero Jr fighting back tears. The internet was quickly flooded with this image, paired with photos of him as a young boy, standing next to his father in a Montreal Expos uniform – a moving snapshot of a journey that spanned years.

“This kid is headed to the World Series.”