Blue Jays’ manager reveals real reason why Vladimir Guerrero Jr. isn’t playing against Angels

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was absent from the Toronto Blue Jays' game against the Los Angeles Angels on Friday, which they won 4-3. The first baseman was reported to have sore feet for which he needed to be rested as per manager John Schneider.

In his place, Bo Bichette came into the lineup after being out for four days due to knee discomfort. The shortstop slotted into the third spot, hitting behind the in-form George Springer in the No. 2 hole and Andres Gimenez, the leadoff hitter.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. suffered an injury during the final game of the series against the New York Yankees on Thursday. He fouled off a ball onto his foot and required trainer attention, but was able to continue.

His foot didn't recover in time for Schneider and the rest of the management to make him a starter, although there was an indication that he could come in as a pinch hitter.

Eventually, the 26-year-old didn't feature at all, even though the game trickled into overtime. The Blue Jays scored off a throwing error in the 10th for the walk-off win. However, there shouldn't be any concern with Guerrero's availability considering he is still not placed on the IL.

Sportsnet's Shi Davidi reported on Twitter on Friday:

"John Schneider said Vladimir Guerrero Jr’s foot is sore so the Blue Jays are giving him “a day off, get him off his feet. If we need him, think he’ll be OK.” Bo Bichette hitting third is just covering for Guerrero today, said Schneider."

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The four-time All-Star is expected to be back on Saturday for Game 2 of the series. His rest came after ten straight days on the field.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. selected as an All-Star for 5th time

Vladimir Guerrero has had a decent first half of the season compared to the standards he has set for himself. He is batting at .274 with 44 RBIs and 14 home runs. However, that was enough for him to be named an All-Star for the fifth time, beating New York Yankees' Paul Goldschmidt for the American League first baseman spot.

“I’m very happy,” Guerrero had said through club interpreter Hector Lebron. “Very happy and very proud, especially now that my daughter can go to another All-Star Game and the rest of my family can enjoy it, as well.”

The pressure is on Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to perform after he inked a 14-year, $500 million deal with the Blue Jays. He is on pace for just 23 home runs, something that he would want to improve on.

Despite his form, the Blue Jays have gone 19-9 in the last 30 days. They erased a 6.5-game deficit to the Yankees at the top of the AL East and now lead by 2.0 games.

About the author

Nikhil Parshy is a baseball and ice hockey journalist at Sportskeeda, and after starting out as a cricket reporter, he has been an analyst with SK since November 2022. His interest in the sports were piqued a few years back after watching highlights on YouTube and he has followed the game ever since.

The Chicago Cubs breaking the 108-year curse in 2016 to lift the World Series remains Nikhil's favorite baseball moment. Two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani has been his favorite player ever since he started following the game, while the LA Dodgers are his favorite team.

As a writer, Nikhil maintains a strong attention to detail and rigorously cross-checks information. He seeks to strike a balance in his writing such that the regular reader gains an insight into player profiles, while also keeping in mind that the non-regular reader is not put off by jargon and shallow analysis.

Nikhil is an avid public speaker, and when not writing about baseball, he regularly participates in debates and quizzes.

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Edited by John Maxwell