Blue Jays reach deals with 11 of 12 players ahead of arbitration. Guerrero is the lone exception

TORONTO (AP) — The Toronto Blue Jays agreed to one year contracts Thursday with 11 of their 12 players who were eligible for salary arbitration, with the lone exception being three time All Star slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. The Blue Jays agreed to deals with catchers Danny Jansen ($5.2 million) and Alejandro Kirk ($2.8 million), infielders Cavan Biggio ($4.2 million) and Santiago Espinal ($2,725,000), outfielder Daulton Varsho ($5.65 million), left handed pitchers Génesis Cabrera ($1,512,000) and Tim Mayza ($3.59 million), and right handed pitchers Jordan Romano ($7.75 million), Erik Swanson ($2.75 million), Trevor Richards ($2.15 million) and Nate Pearson ($800,000).

The Blue Jays still haven't reached a deal with Guerrero, who made $14.5 million last season and hit .264 with 26 homers and 94 RBIs. He led the American League with 48 homers in 2021. Guerrero can still negotiate a deal with the team before a hearing. Eligible players without agreements will be scheduled for hearings before three person panels from Jan.

29 through Feb. 16 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Of the 11 players who agreed to deals, Romano's was the biggest. The two time All Star has been the Blue Jays' closer the past three seasons and had a 2.90 ERA with 36 saves last year. Kirk, a 2022 All Star, also got a big bump in pay, more than tripling his salary of $767,300 from last season.

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