Nine figures! That’s the kind of money that can make even the most steadfast loyalties crumble. Could a bidding war between New York’s baseball titans lure Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to the Bronx, igniting one of the most explosive rivalries in sports?

The Instagram account ‘talkinyanks’ posted a snap from ‘letsgoyanks_’ which read, “liked by WHOOOO?” The speculative post from the fan page asked, “Is there any chance the Yankees sign Vladdy?” It’s unlikely, but Guerrero Jr. manning first base for the Yankees’ future is an enticing thought. Steve Phillips of MLB Network predicts, “In the end, they’ll have Vladdy and Judge in the middle of the lineup.”

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has had quite the saga about his claimed commitment to never play for the Yankees. In 2022, Guerrero Jr. declared amid a storm of media circulation, that he would “never” play for the Yankees, citing personal reasons and family history. This strong stance was influenced by his father, Vladimir Guerrero Sr., a Hall of Famer who had his own history with the Yankees. “I like to play in New York, I like to kill the Yankees. I would never sign with the Yankees, not even dead,” Guerrero admitted. It seemed set in stone, never say never. No Yankees!

Eighteen months later in 2024, the Blue Jays were a mess. They missed the window to sign Guerrero Jr. to a jumbo contract extension, and the lineup was busted with injuries and offensive underperformance. Juan Soto signed the richest contract in the history of the game, 15 years for $765M with the Mets. Two days later, the Yankees answered the volley, signing left-hander Max Fried to an eight-year deal for $218M. The landscape of New York baseball shifted under its feet.

The negotiations for Guerrero Jr.’s second Blue Jays contract were contentious, to say the least. The mutual desire for Guerrero to remain a Blue Jay could not bridge a contentious gap in negotiations. The Blue Jays put forward a “record-setting” offer, $340 million over 10 years, that would have made Guerrero among the game’s richest players.

Guerrero Jr. stood his ground for his number, “they had their numbers, I had my numbers.” “Listen, I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career. But it’s free agency. It’s business. So I’m going to have to listen to 29 more teams and they’re going to have to compete for that,” he said.

The Guerrero Jr. debate: what Yankee fans are saying

Now comes the climax! Remember, I wrote at the beginning, “liked by WHOOOO???.” It’s none other than Guerrero himself.

Looks like the ‘Yankee-killer’ is ready to join hands with the enemy next season if his current team can’t satisfy him, which right now seems unlikelier than ever. Maybe the end of 2025 will look different but Steve Phillips seems convinced it’s going to be Guerrero and Judge in the lineup rather than Soto and Judge in the long term.

One fan asked, “He wants to be a Yankee so bad?” fueling the speculation further. However, some fans remain skeptical, with one noting, “He followed the Mets, though.” This mixed signal has left fans guessing his true intentions.

One clearly said they didn’t want whatever Guerrero was offering because of how things like this went last time, “Another soto no thanks 😂”

One fan adamantly said, “Nope, he hates the Yanks and he’s always talked bad about them.” A second fan added to the growing concourse, “Didn’t he openly come out a while ago basically pulling a Ken Griffey Jr. saying he would never play for the Yankees?”. “Talk to your dad, please,” Another fan added. Brutal! isn’t it?  But you can’t argue with that, the past remarks have clearly left a lasting impression.

On the other hand, money may be a motivating factor for some fans. “Vladdy could be trolling us. But for the right money, most people will go back on what they said. Let’s just hope guys,” wrote another fan. “He’s going to the Mets just like Juan Soto…Cohen got the cash, can’t compete,” added another fan. And you have to give it up for fans. Money matters! The divide persists as fans wrestle with the possibility that Guerrero Jr. could reverse his stance for the appropriate cash.

What’s next in the Vladdy Jr. saga? Tell us your wildest theories in the comments!