Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s half-billion Blue Jays deal packed with extra bonuses

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Sign a record contract, you may as well load it up with some extras and bonuses, right?

As is usually the case with a deal like the record-breaking $500-million US, 14-year pact that Vlad Guerrero Jr. landed with the Blue Jays this week, there are some interesting — and potentially lucrative — benefits to accompany the big cash in the package.

Since the 26-year-old first baseman’s deal became official, details of the contract have emerged, beyond the mammoth $325-million signing bonus that will save Guerrero millions of dollars in taxes.

Among them:

• A full no-trade clause.
• Four premium seats to all Blue Jays regular-season and playoff home games.
• A luxury suite at the Rogers Centre will be available for what the Associated Press reports to be a discounted rate.
• A hotel suite for all road games, a standard perk negotiated for players drawing superstar salaries.
• A $150,000 (all figures US) bonus for winning the AL MVP Award, $125,000 for finishing second in the voting and $100,000 for third, $75,000 for fourth and $50,000 for fifth.
• A $50,000 bonus for being named to the American League all-star team, something Guerrero has already achieved four times in his career.
• A $50,000 bonus for Gold Glove (which he has won once for his defensive play at first base) and the same for a Silver Slugger Award, which he already has won twice.
• Another $50,000 for the ultimate marriage of team and personal accomplishment — winning the World Series MVP and $25,000 for being named American League Championship Series MVP.

The contract itself is structured to benefit Guerrero in terms of how it is paid out.

While the salary will be spread out over the duration of the contract, it’s front-end loaded in terms of higher value. He’ll get $17 million each of the next two seasons and a sliding scale to $6.25 million in 2038 and 2039 before the deal expires.

His first payment on the $325-million signing bonus is a $20-million stipend due within 30 days of the contract’s signing. The remainder will be spread out through the duration of his contract.

The massive signing bonus was particularly attractive to Guerrero and his camp because it will be tax-free.

Under the MLB collective bargaining agreement, signing bonuses are taxed at a player’s home state. Guerrero has a home in Florida, which will exempt him from income tax.