With a week to go before Opening Day, Blue Jays’ president Mark Shapiro held his annual spring media availability in Florida and offered a surprisingly optimistic outlook on the possibility of a long-term contract extension for Vlad Guerrero Jr. Following a dismal winter of fans pondering Shapiro’s early opinion that Vlad was good, but not a generational talent, the CEO now cites the perceived desire for a mutual outcome and wants to make the 26-year-old first baseman a “legacy player.” Mal and Griff discuss this welcomed turn of events, plus the Max Scherzer thumb issue and how did it get to this point. What does the injury that he says has bothered him since 2023, mean to the Jays’ rotation and what are the rotation options. Opinions of the season opening Dodgers-Cubs series in Japan, the prospect Spring Breakout games, predictions for the NL East and more.

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For the full catalogue of Richard Griffin's work, including weekly Blue Jays/MLB columns, a weekly MLB Power Rankings column, exclusive conversations with some of the game's greats, past and present, and the Exit Philosophy podcast, visit https://www.griffsthepitch.com/