Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins expressed optimism about first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. next season.
Guerrero is coming off a terrible offensive season where he hit only 9 home runs, including just 1 at home at Rogers Centre.
But after getting laser eye surgery during the offseason, the hope is that Guerrero will come back in 2027 and get back to being the slugger that he was before falling apart this season.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. ‘Fired Up’ for Next Season
Speaking to reporters in Las Vegas, Atkins confirmed that Guerrero previously wore contacts and that his laser eye surgery corrected his vision, while reaffirming how excited the club is to see how he looks next season given that he appears to be “on a mission” this offseason to improve.
“When asked by @GregorChisholm about Vlad Guerrero Jr.’s laser eye surgery, Ross Atkins clarified that Guerrero Jr. had previously been wearing contacts when he played. Atkins added that Guerrero Jr. is ‘is fired up and on a mission.'”
Atkins added that Guerrero Jr. is “is fired up and on a mission.”
Blue Jays Need Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Get Back to Slugging
The biggest problem for the Blue Jays this past season was a lack of slugging, as the team had one of the weakest lineups in MLB, especially from a power perspective, as there was an overall power outage in the team’s lineup.
Guerrero, in particular, was ineffective this past season, as he only hit 9 home runs, which is unacceptable for a first baseman who makes over $40 million per season.
The Blue Jays likely don’t expect Guerrero to hit the 48 home runs that he hit back in 2021, but it would be nice if he could hit at least 30, even 20 home runs, for the team, as he usually bats out of the 2 or 3 hole, which are positions normally reserved for power hitters.
The good news is that it appears that Guerrero is doing everything in his power to get back to being the hitter that everyone knows he can be, which is good news given how poor a season he just had. Hopefully, the laser eye surgery helps him see the ball better next season.
Blue Jays GM: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Is ‘Fired Up & on a Mission’