{"id":770807,"date":"2026-08-05T16:45:23","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T16:45:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/770807\/"},"modified":"2026-08-05T16:45:23","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T16:45:23","slug":"toronto-blue-jays-vladimir-guerrero-jr-not-in-starting-lineup-wednesday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/770807\/","title":{"rendered":"Toronto Blue Jays\u2019 Vladimir Guerrero Jr. not in starting lineup Wednesday"},"content":{"rendered":"

Toronto Blue Jays<\/a> first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.<\/a> is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday\u2019s series-finale against the Astros in Houston.<\/p>\n

Kazuma Okamoto<\/a> will play first base and George Springer<\/a> will serve as the designated hitter. <\/p>\n

Guerrero was 0-for-3 with a walk in Tuesday\u2019s 7-2 loss and appeared to be in some discomfort while trying to leg out a ground ball in the eighth inning.<\/p>\n

The 27-year-old pulled into first base gingerly and doubled over briefly but stayed in the game at first base for the ninth. <\/p>\n

Manager John Schneider said Guerrero — who had previously missed time with a hamstring injury — is not dealing with anything \u201cmajor\u201d and described him as \u201ctight, tired.\u201d He said the team would see how he feels on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Guerrero is one of several Blue Jays in the midst of a difficult 2026 season. He enters play Wednesday slashing .259\/.338\/.349 with six home runs and 44 RBI. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think timing has been impacted, rhythm, which impacts confidence,\u201d Toronto general manager Ross Atkins said of Guerrero\u2019s season<\/a> in an appearance on TSN1050\u2019s OverDrive Tuesday. \u201cIt is such a fine motor skill to be able to have that synced up.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour timing starts to change just a hair, then finding that rhythm to be synced up to be in powerful positions to have enough room to still cover a breaking ball when you\u2019re on time for a fastball is one of the hardest things to do in sport. If that starts to get a little out of sync, that can start to impact things that are going on in your brain.<\/p>\n

\u201cStopping, recreating, or getting back to that pattern that is appropriate isn\u2019t just a click of a button. It isn\u2019t us just showing him that pattern, it\u2019s a feeling. He\u2019s working towards it, I know he\u2019s going to find it\u2026hitters say it just takes one swing. I\u2019m not expecting it to be a light-switch turnaround for any offensive player, but I do believe things can happen quickly.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Blue Jays (53-61) sit four games back of the final American League wild-card spot with six teams standing between them and the playoffs.<\/p>\n

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