The Toronto Blue Jays can't afford for their superstar to go down.
Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s power numbers are down from their peak in 2021, but he remains one of baseball's top players. The 26-year-old entered Monday's bout with the Pittsburgh Pirates tied for seventh in MLB with a .300 batting average and eighth with a .898 OPS.
Guerrero's 21 homers were tied for just 39th, but he still leads Toronto in that category. The five-time All-Star is also second on the squad with 69 RBI. His contributions have helped it reach the top of the AL standings, as it entered Monday a half-game ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the league's first seed.
However, Guerrero was subbed out for Ty France in the fifth inning. The Blue Jays later announced the reason why, via their social media.
"UPDATE: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from tonight's game with left hamstring tightness," the team said.
Guerrero finished the game 0-for-2 with an RBI. He hit an RBI groundout in the third off of Pirates ace Paul Skenes, which tied the contest at 1-1.
UPDATE: 1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was removed from tonight's game with left hamstring tightness.
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) August 19, 2025
Blue Jays Need Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to Assert Dominance
Toronto has plenty of talent outside of Guerrero, headlined by shortstop Bo Bichette, right fielder George Springer, starting pitchers Kevin Gausman, Eric Lauer, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber, and closer Jeff Hoffman. However, it won't reach the mountaintop without its star.
In addition to being the Blue Jays' best contact and power hitter, Guerrero entered Monday leading the squad with a .398 OBP. The two-time Silver Slugger is their best offensive player in every way other than speed, and that's not something that any team can afford to lose for an extended period.
Toronto entered Monday five games in front of the Boston Red Sox for first place in the AL East, but there's still time to lose that advantage if Guerrero is forced to sit. There are six weeks left in the regular season, and the New York Yankees are just 5.5 games back as well.
Related: Blue Jays Announce Exciting George Springer, Shane Bieber News Before Rangers Game
Related: Bo Bichette Addresses Blue Jays Future as Contract Decision Nears
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 19, 2025, where it first appeared in the MLB section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Category: Baseball
