Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sends Clear Message About Blue Jays’ Lineup originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. already got what he wanted financially when he inked a 14-year, $500 million extension in April.
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Now we’ll see if Guerrero gets what he wants when it comes to the Blue Jays’ lineup.
Guerrero all but made it clear this week that he prefers to hit third rather than second. The four-time All-Star is 7-for-9 with a home run, six RBI, and four walks to one strikeout in three games hitting third.
“The only thing that changes is that I feel I have more time, I guess, to prepare myself,” Guerrero explained.
“I don’t feel rushed anymore,” Guerrero continued. “They’re still pitching me the same.”
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27).Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Blue Jays manager John Schneider has hit Guerrero third in the team’s last two games, both victories over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
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Guerrero is a career .301 hitter with a .917 OPS in nearly 2,200 plate appearances batting third. Conversely, he’s only hit .265 with a .774 OPS across 1,075 plate appearances as the No. 2 hitter.
Those are fine numbers for a No. 2 hitter on, say, a three-year, $33 million contract. However, the Blue Jays aren’t paying Guerrero for “fine” numbers, especially not when they’re only two games out of first.
For his part, Schneider has no problem hitting Guerrero third.
“If hitting third makes his timing better,” Schneider told reporters, “great, you can hit third as long as you want, Vlad.”
Although Guerrero only has one home run in June, he’s batting .315 with seven doubles, 11 RBI, and a .903 OPS this month.
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This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.