Vladimir Guerrero Jr. apologized Friday for his recent controversial comments about his 14-year, $500 million contract.
“I feel that the comments I made the other day is not what I really wanted to say,” Guerrero said via team interpreter Hector Lebron. “Everyone deserves an apology from me. … I want to tell everyone that I’m going to continue to keep working hard to make my contract a great one.”
Guerrero also said his Hall of Fame father told him he had made a mistake and needed to apologize for what he said regarding his contract.
In a recent Spanish-language interview with Veronica Batista earlier this week, Guerrero Jr. said that the Blue Jays “didn’t pay me because I’m going to hit 40 [home runs] every year. They paid me for what I already accomplished.”
Guerrero was then asked about those comments on Wednesday, after the Blue Jays had been mathematically eliminated from the postseason, and he stood by what he said.
"No, I don't regret myself. I'm not lying with what I say,” Guerrero said then via Lebron. “I understand some fans, they don't understand the way and what I was trying to say specifically, but what I said is the way I feel."
Guerrero is in the final weekend of what has been a frustrating season for him. Statistically, he has put up the worst numbers of his career, highlighted by a .263 average, a 92 OPS+ (100 is league average) and just nine home runs through 142 games. He has also been nagged by injuries for much of the season, including back trouble, and spent some time on the concussion injured list last month.
Brian Murphy