Guerrero Jr., Jays 1B arbitration panel earns $19.9 million.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. won his arbitration case against the Toronto Blue Jays and will earn $19.9 million in 2024, a record salary given by the hearing.

The club, which offered the star third baseman and $18.05 million, argued its case before a three-member panel on Tuesday, and the decision was handed down Wednesday.

Guerrero hit .264/.345/.444 with 26 homers and 94 RBI last season, earning $14.5 million, and he and the Blue Jays failed to agree on a salary for the third time through the arbitration process. He was on track to make the same $20.5 million deal as first baseman Pete Alonso with the New York Mets.

While arbitration is based on comparable players and individual statistics, hearings can create bad feelings and discourage players — a dangerous prospect for a key player eligible for free agency after the 2025 season.

The Blue Jays last went to a hearing in 2019, when Ryan Tepera was awarded the club's $1.525 million offer instead of $1.8 million, and the reliever walked away frustrated by what he heard during the controversy.

It's the 16th shutout in franchise history, and the Blue Jays are now 9-7. Six of those have involved the current front office, which is 3-3.

They won three in a row before the Guerrero affair, and before Tepera a year later, they beat Marcus Stroman ($6.5 million instead of $6.9 million) and Roberto Osuna ($5.3 million instead of $5.8 million) in 2018. .