The Toronto Blue Jays are fighting for the final spot in the American League playoffs as September approaches. It has been an underwhelming season for the defending AL pennant winners, and it is easy to point the blame at one player in particular, that being first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Now in the first year of his massive 14-year, $500 million contract, Guerrero is having the worst offensive season of his career.
Across 118 games, he has posted a .262 batting average, .335 on-base percentage, .689 OPS, seven home runs and 46 RBIs. He has battled some nagging injuries that may be affecting his play, but this is a version of Guerrero the Blue Jays have never seen before.
Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
With Guerrero’s struggles continuing, manager John Schneider was asked ahead of Wednesday’s matchup with the Kansas City Royals why he has not decided to move him down in the batting order. Even with his struggles this year, the 27-year-old has only slotted lower than third once, all the way back in May.
Schneider revealed that he has considered it but does not know what the outcome would be. He does not want to punish Guerrero for his struggles, and he also feels the decision would be easier if other players on the team had stepped up, which has not been the case. He also acknowledged that the team’s success revolves around Guerrero turning it around.
“We are built, as a team, for Vlad to be a focal point of our offense. I don’t think that, with where he hits, he will be pitched very differently. I don’t think there will be more or less pressure if he’s hitting down in the order. I want him up in important spots,” Schneider said, per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
Guerrero simply does not have enough time to bring his numbers to a respectable place this year, but at this point that is secondary. If the Blue Jays want to miraculously make the postseason it starts with him, and Schneider will continue putting him in big spots as the face of this franchise.
