The Toronto Blue Jays are hanging around the playoff race as the MLB reaches its final month, and one analyst believes Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could hold the keys to a berth.
Guerrero has struggled over the course of the season, missing time recently with a concussion and trying to get back into his previous form at the plate. MLB.com writer Max Ralph predicted that if the veteran slugger can turn around his fortunes, it could be enough to get the Blue Jays into a playoff berth amid a largely struggling American League.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Could Put Together Hot Streak at Most Critical Time
Ralph noted that Guerrero’s hitting output has dropped sharply this season, not yet putting a ball out of the park at home
“Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s surprisingly down season has been well-documented, as he’s still awaiting his first home run at Rogers Center since … last season,” Ralph wrote. “He also hit one home run in August while slashing .221/.259/.312 — good for just a 59 wRC+.”
Ralph added that the team is still standing behind Guerrero, who has put together plenty of clutch performances in the past and can do it again.
“It’s clear that Guerrero has not been ‘right’ all season, and he missed some time this past month with a concussion,” Ralph wrote. “But he has the support of his manager, and if Vladdy can put together even a mini hot streak in the season’s final month, it could do wonders for the Blue Jays’ final push toward October.”
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Has Been Target of Criticism
Guerrero has gotten plenty of criticism this season. Dayn Perry of CBS Sports named him as one of the most disappointing players in the MLB, noting that it “seems like a long time ago that Vlad Jr. hit 48 home runs as a 22-year-old.”
His heroics during last year’s run to the World Series also seem far in the past, Perry added.
“Coming off a productive 2025 season and 2025 playoffs that saw him power up, Guerrero has shed home run power like never before,” Perry wrote. “At present, he’s slugging just .356 — an appalling figure for a first baseman (signed to a $500 million contract — with just seven home runs in 117 games. It’s been more than a calendar year since Guerrero has hit a regular-season home run at home. There are many reasons the Blue Jays have backslid so much since the end of the World Series, but Vlad’s power outage may be the biggest reason of all.”
Despite the struggles and a 68-70 record, the Blue Jays are just 1.5 games out of the playoffs in the final month of the MLB season.
Blue Jays Face Strong Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Prediction for Season’s Final Stretch