Vladimir Guerrero Jr. remained out of the Toronto Blue Jays’ lineup Thursday as the club continued its road trip against the Chicago Cubs. After also missing Wednesday’s 5-4 win over the Houston Astros with right hamstring tightness, the six-time All-Star has now been sidelined for seven games this season, his highest total since his rookie campaign in 2019.
The latest setback comes during a difficult season for Guerrero. Through 108 games, he is slashing .259/.338/.349 with six home runs and 44 RBIs through 109 games. His .687 OPS and 94 wRC+ are both career lows and a sharp drop from 2025, when he posted a .848 OPS and 137 wRC+, and 2024, when he finished with a .940 OPS and 165 wRC+.
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He has also dealt with multiple physical issues throughout the year, including back soreness earlier in the season.
Ahead of Thursday’s outing, Blue Jays manager John Schneider offered another update. He confirmed that Guerrero is “feeling a little better today” and downplayed any serious issues.
“There’s no injury there. It’s just a little bit of tightness still. So, we’ll see how he is today” (via Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling).
Durability has been one of Guerrero’s trademarks throughout his MLB career. Before this stretch, he had played at least 156 games in each of the previous five seasons, rarely needing time on the injured list. Earlier this year, he also avoided a serious injury after being hit on the hand by a pitch, with X-rays confirming there was no fracture.
The Blue Jays will continue monitoring Guerrero’s status as they open a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. Toronto remains hopeful its franchise first baseman can return soon as the club tries to stay in the American League wild card race.
