A saga that produced numerous twists of promise and turns of pessimism over the past calendar year has finally culminated in a titanic pact between a homegrown superstar and a franchise that simply could not afford to lose him: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

The news Blue Jays fans had been desperately waiting for -- news that, in their darkest moments, they feared would never come -- at last broke late Sunday night, into early Monday morning: Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Guerrero, who turned 26 in March, finished the 2024 campaign with a career-high batting average of .323. The Blue Jays risk his price climbing even higher if he can put together a fifth straight All-Star campaign before testing free agency next winter.