The Toronto Blue Jays entered the season expecting Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to once again serve as the centerpiece of their lineup just one year after he agreed to a $500 million extension.
Instead, much of the conversation surrounding the club has centered on when the slugger will finally break out of one of the most surprising power droughts of his career.
That uncertainty has forced Toronto to explore alternative ways to maximize offensive production as the team looks to stay competitive in the playoff race. And one recent development indicates the team is now considering putting a brand-new player in at his defensive position.
Toronto Blue Jays Weigh Vladimir Guerrero Jr Replacement As Slump Persists
Ahead of a recent game against the Boston Red Sox, Blue Jays catcher Brandon Valenzuela was spotted taking ground balls at first base, a notable development given his primary position behind the plate.
“Brandon Valenzuela is taking some grounders at 1B today in Boston,” The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon reported on X, formerly Twitter. “We’ve seen him do this a few (times) this year. Would be a way for Blue Jays to get him and (Alejandro) Kirk in the lineup.”
Valenzuela has been an offensive sparkplug for the Blue Jays after receiving a call up to replace the injured Kirk behind the dish. But with Kirk back, slotting in Valenzuela at first base could allow the team to keep his hot bat in the lineup and perhaps offer Guerrero a bit of a rest at designated hitter as he works through his power outage.
But the move is a bit of a surprise, as Valenzuela has never started a big-league game at first and has made more than six-times as many starts at catcher than he does at first base in the minors.
Toronto Blue Jays Superstar Vladimir Guerrero Jr Remains Key
Ultimately, however, no lineup adjustment will matter as much as Guerrero rediscovering the power stroke that has made him one of baseball’s premier hitters.
“More than anything, though, the Blue Jays need Vlad — who sat out Saturday and Sunday against the (New York) Yankees with back tightness — to turn back into the fearsome slugger we’ve come to expect if they are going to make a second-half run, even with the injuries they’ve seen thus far to five different starting pitchers,” Mike Lupica wrote for MLB.com. “Guerrero has just three home runs and 27 RBIs.”
Those numbers stand in stark contrast to the production Blue Jays fans have come to expect from their franchise cornerstone.
