"Vladimir Guerrero Jr. gives you defensive tackle vibes" - Max Scherzer argues why Blue Jays superstar deserves $500,000,000 contract

Max Scherzer believes the Toronto Blue Jays made the right call in handing Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a record-setting $500 million extension. The veteran pitcher highlighted multiple reasons and insisted that the slugger has the talent to justify the huge contract.

Scherzer, a three-time Cy Young Award winner and two-time World Series champion, signed with the Blue Jays in February. He discussed Guerrero's long-term value on Tuesday, and whether the half-billion contract was justified.

"You know, he's actually very athletic," Scherzer said (17:56), via "Foul Territory." "He kind of gives you some D tackle vibes. He really, like, you watch him get down the line, you're like, 'Oh, like he's running down that line that fast,' or he goes first to third or second at home. He's actually, he's way faster than you would typically think of him."

He added that Guerrero has an untapped ceiling and compared his natural hitting ability to one of the greatest right-handed hitters of all time.

"I don't like throwing this comparison around because I hold him so high, like you said, Miguel Cabrera, but he has that type of talent," Scherzer said. "He can hit the ball as hard as Miguel Cabrera."

Miguel Cabrera played 21 seasons in the MLB, including his first five with the Marlins from 2003 to 2007. He won the World Series in his debut season. Cabrera joined the Detroit Tigers in 2008 and won two consecutive American League MVP awards in 2012 and 2013 before retiring in 2023.

Max Scherzer highlights the major difference between Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Miguel Cabrera

Max Scherzer explained that he faced a polished Miguel Cabrera while Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s development is ongoing. He stressed that the Blue Jays superstar has room to grow into one of the most feared hitters of his generation.

"You know, I played him in his early 30s, so a little bit different," Scherzer said on Tuesday (18:32), via "Foul Territory."

"You know, Vlad's still got some time to develop here, but, you know, if he puts his nose down into the dirt and, and figures out how to, you know, really study the way he hits and how he does it and, you know, takes stuff like that and puts it into his game, he can be, you know, an absolute offensive force. I've definitely seen it."

Guerrero's best season in MLB was in 2021, when he finished second in the American League MVP voting behind Shohei Ohtani. Since then, he has been a perennial All-Star, and by Scherzer's prediction, the best is yet to come.