Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reveals why he's feeling happier this spring

A year ago at this time, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was entering the last season of his contract with the Toronto Blue Jays.

It wasn't until early April that Vladdy got a 14-year, $500 million deal to commit himself long term to Toronto.

Then the Blue Jays went to Game 7 of the World Series before losing in extra innings to the Dodgers.

All that has added up to a new mindset for Guerrero entering the 2026 campaign.

“We acquired new players, great players. I think this is going to be more fun,” Guerrero said through a club interpreter, via MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. “I’m actually happier than last year. For whatever reason, I’m happier and feeling great. I have good feelings about this year, and I know we’re capable of doing a lot of good things.”

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Matheson, the Blue Jays beat writer for MLB.com, went on to add this line of his own:

"Guerrero is feeling happier in camp after signing his $500 million deal. Perhaps the two are related."

Yeah, sounds about right.

The Blue Jays look a bit different. Bo Bichette is gone.

But they've also added Kazuma Okamoto and Dylan Cease, so there's still plenty of buzz in camp.

“If anything, it allows Vlad to have a louder voice and be more free,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider told MLB.com. “When you get so locked in with somebody day to day for eight or 10 years, you have that as a norm. I think this is an opportunity for Vlad to have a louder voice and understand that this has been his team, and it’s going to continue to be his team.”

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His team came within a few outs of winning the World Series.

A happy Vladdy will try to clear that final hurdle and win the whole thing this season.

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