Toronto Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero regained some of his old form this week, turning in a five-RBI game on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians and blasting a home run to left field.
The performance erased some of the season-long slump the veteran has endured and pushed the Blue Jays to within a half-game of the final wild card spot in the American League. It also earned some big praise from manager John Schneider, who said Guerrero ending his slump could unlock the rest of the lineup.
John Schneider Hopes Vladimir Guerrero of Old Returns
Schneider shared hope for Guerrero’s performance over the remaining month of the season, saying he looked all the way back with his performance in Cleveland. The Blue Jays manager shared praise for Guerrero, saying his strong hitting allows other players to get a bit looser at the plate.
“Yeah, I’ve seen it a couple thousand times,” Schneider said, via MLB.com. “It seems like when Vlad has a performance like that or when he’s in the middle of something, it allows everyone to be at ease. That’s what a player like him can do. It impacts everyone up and down the lineup.”
Schneider added that there needs to be more improvement, especially with the team’s baserunning. The Blue Jays are 24th in the league with 71 stolen bases, but Schneider said the team needs more athleticism in all phases of baserunning.
“We’ve gotten a little faster, a little more athletic,” Schneider said. “I think we can take an extra base or go from first to third and just create opportunities that are a little bit easier for the next guys coming up. We’ve seen it before, that once you do it, it becomes the norm and it becomes the expectation for the next guy.”
Blue Jays Move Onto Another Critical Series
After notching a series win against the Guardians, the Blue Jays have another critical series as they travel to Kansas City to take on the Royals. The team has little margin for error the rest of the way, and has a chance to continue climbing up the wild card race with two veerans headed to the mound.
The Blue Jays are set to send veteran right-hander Jameson Taillon to the mound on Friday, with another battle-tested veteran on Saturday in Max Scherzer.
“On Saturday, Max Scherzer will get the ball in what will be a big start for the 42-year-old,” noted SI.com’s Scott Roche. “He was good last month against the Royals, going five innings and allowing four hits and two runs. In his start last weekend against the Seattle Mariners at home, he went seven innings, allowing one run and striking out 10.”
The Blue Jays could use more vintage performances at the plate from Guerrero as well, and Schneider is confident he can deliver them.
Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Gets Strong Message From John Schneider