Could the Mets be the reason Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed an extension with the Blue Jays?

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signed an extension with the Blue Jays on Monday, and it could all be thanks to Mets fans.

On Friday, Guerrero was introduced during the Opening Day festivities at Citi Field, where he was greeted with abudence of cheers. At face value, such a response might have been a little confusing considering he's a key cog in the Blue Jays lineup and could change the game with one swing.

But, as a impending free agent who entered the season without a contract extension, Guerrero's also on the market with his eyes set on a big payday; one that could perhaps come from Mets owner Steve Cohen.

But is there a chance those cheers could end up being the thing that helps push an extension past the finish line?

Those introductions at Citi Field marked the first time that Guerrero visited an away ballpark, which meant it was the first time that we got to see an opposing fanbase show apprecation for the slugger.

And, with trips to Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium on the docket for April, it wouldn't have been the last time this morning that the fans of a potential Guerrero suitor would get a chance to make their feelings known.

Guerrero's lack of an extension was going to hang over the entire season no matter what, but it was likely to become more acute every time that the team visited a new ballpark. And it's one thing to have Guerrero get cheers at the minor league parks the Athletics and Rays are playing at, but when it's the Yankees, Mets or Red Sox? There's a little more there.

Maybe Guerrero signing an extension a little more than two days after those introductions is a coicidence. Or maybe it truly was the thing that helped make the deal happen.

Leaks about Guerrero's extension negotiations leaked out at a trickle throughout spring training and the start of the season before gushing out Sunday. That timeline makes it seem like Mets fans had a bit to do with the faucet being turned on.

Guerrero seemed to have been firm in his asking price, as the 14-year, $500 million contract he signed is exactly what he was looking for since negotiations opened, with the big hang up seemingly to be deferrals. Guerrero wanted all $500 million of his contract to be guaranteed (which it eventually ended up being), while the Blue Jays wanted some of it to be deferred.

In the end, Guerrero knew his worth and stuck to it in the hopes that the Blue Jays would recognize his value. Which they eventually did.

Could Guerrero's warm reception at Citi Field be the reason for that? The Mets were a thorn in the Blue Jays side throughout the offseason after they poached Juan Soto and Pete Alonso away from the Blue Jays. And while that will likely sting for a bit, Blue Jays fans should be able to take some solace in knowing that there's a chance that the Mets' fanbase potentially helped make Guerrero's extension a reality.

After the game, Guerrero said that the cheers were "normal" for him.

That won't be the case any more.