Toronto Blue Jays fans, and certainly the team's management, want Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to return to the 40-home run plateau this year, and the first-string player is confident of putting his full potential to the test.
Former Montreal Expos star Vladimir Guerrero's prospect, who had a 2021 haul of 48 long balls and 111 points, has seen his stats drop off a bit. The following season, he was happy with 32 shots from four goals and his total increased to 26 in 2023. In addition, he scored 97 points in 2022, compared to 94 a year later.
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However, his victory in salary arbitration (he will receive $19.9 million) and proper preparation over the winter should boost his motivation and enthusiasm at a time when major baseball training camps are in their final stages. Additionally, the slugger scored a single in two at-bats during his first preseason meeting on Monday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“I know what I can achieve and what type of player I am. “If I prepare appropriately, I can give good statistics… excellent statistics,” Guerrero Jr. commented through his interpreter Tito Lebron during an interview published Wednesday by the Toronto Sun newspaper. It's simple: if you want to be the best player, you have to be serious. That’s how I always operate.”
“This was my most convincing offseason in several years, but it won't be my best. My goal is to progress physically every year and get much better,” he continued.
Learn from your own mistakes
As he gains experience in Major League Baseball, the Montreal native realizes that he must avoid certain pitfalls. He also lost more than 40 pounds from the summer of 2020, which helped him turn around and deliver an exceptional performance in the following calendar. However, it must be remembered that the slightest relaxation in morale can prove costly.
“It’s not just this year, but the ones before that too. The 2021 season was a learning process. “You understand that you have to work hard to be ready and that’s what I did there,” he said. It's important to be among the best; Not just for me, but also for my family and the organization. And it has to be on the field and in your free time.”
Win against the Rays
Guerrero Jr. was also on the roster for the Blue Jays, who won a preseason game against the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old hit a single, drew a walk and was struck out.
Trailing 2-0 after five and a half innings, the Blue Jays took advantage of an error by catcher Dominic Keegan to open their scoring. A single by Santiago Espinal then tied the game at bat in the sixth inning.
In the seventh inning, Rafael Lantigua scored the winning run with a sacrifice fly that pushed Luis De Los Santos to the plate.
The Blue Jays continue their preparation schedule on Thursday with a matchup against the Philadelphia Phillies.