Blue Jays Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Must Improve in This Key Area Down the Stretch
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There are a lot of things going right for the Toronto Blue Jays right now, and this is a team that very well could be the top seed in the American League.
Even though the franchise might not have gotten off to a hot start, they have been a great team for an extended stretch now and are in first place in the AL East. While winning the division should be the top priority, they also have to be thinking about the road to the World Series going through Toronto.
The front office did a nice job at the deadline to improve a couple of areas of need with some new arms for their bullpen and a potential ace coming over in Shane Bieber. The health of the right-hander will be something worth monitoring for the rest of the season, as he could be a complete game-changer.
However, while a lot of players have contributed to the success of the team this year, the franchise will ultimately be relying on its newly signed star slugger to lead them down the stretch.
Alden Gonzalez of ESPN recently wrote about Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. needing to avoid a poor September to help the team finish the job this season.
“For whatever reason, Guerrero's production in September is his worst of any month (career .267/.337/.456 slash line). That needs to change this year.”
After a little bit of a slow start to the campaign, Guerrero has lived up to his massive new contract so far in 2025. The slow start could likely be attributed to what was surely a stressful decision and negotiation. However, the All-Star is going to be the face of the franchise for the next decade.
Can Guerrero Improve in a Key Area?
So far this season, he has slashed .300/.399/.490 with 19 home runs and 64 RBI. However, while he has been performing well, his numbers in September aren’t close to the production that he provides overall.
With a career OPS in September under .800, that is well below his career average of .867.
As the calendar rolls to September, the Blue Jays are going to be tested within their division. Both the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are within striking distance, and both are going to try to dethrone Toronto.
If they are going to hold on to the division lead and the overall lead in the AL, they need their star to perform down the stretch. If Guerrero struggles in the final month of the year, the Blue Jays could falter down the stretch.
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Nick Ziegler is an alumnus of the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He has been working in sports media covering the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL for nearly a decade with various publications online. With his free time, Nick enjoys being at the Jersey Shore with his wife, daughter, and their golden retriever. You can follow him on X, formerly Twitter, @NickZiegler20.