Blue Jays All-Star Could Become 40-Home Run Threat with Swing Tweak
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The Toronto Blue Jays have one of the most feared right-handed hitters in the MLB in the middle of their lineup: first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
An All-Star in four consecutive years, he is one of the most consistent power threats in baseball, spraying the ball around the field for extra-base hits. He has hit at least 29 doubles and 26 home runs in each of the last four campaigns.
The key to his success at the plate is focusing on hitting the ball as hard as possible. There aren’t many people in baseball who hit the ball as hard with the frequency that he does.
However, he isn’t regarded as a pure power hitter in the traditional sense, launching majestic home runs, because of the unique attack angle he takes to the ball.
Guerrero has the lowest attack angle in baseball, tied with Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson, at one degree.
He has put a focus on hitting as many line drives with authority as possible. His focus isn’t on launch angle and hitting the ball in the air. Sometimes it just happens with his raw strength but it isn’t the main goal he has when making contact.
How Could Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Become Annual 40-Home Run Threat?
“When Guerrero is going right, enough of those balls get into the air to produce 30-plus or 40-plus homer seasons. But those low attack angles also probably help explain why it's not 40-plus home runs every season, even though Vlad Jr. is always among the league leaders in hard-hit balls and is one of the few hitters who can rip the baseball upwards of 115 mph, even 120 mph,” wrote David Adler of MLB.com.
He isn't the only hitter on the team who has a swing that raises some eyebrows.
But, the talented Blue Jays slugger is an anomaly when it comes to his combination of raw power and attack angle. Swings of this nature are usually reserved for contact hitters looking to put the ball in play and create some havoc.
Guerrero is looking to put the ball in play as well, but with the goal of smoking the ball past defenders.
Don’t expect a change in his approach to come any time soon, as this swing is what is what is most natural to him.
"I just try to hit the ball to the middle, and a line drive," Guerrero said while breaking down his swing on MLB Network after his 48-homer season in 2021. "I don't try to hit a ground ball or a fly ball. I just try to hit it hard, and a line drive ... I think the key for me is hitting line drives. I tried that last year, hitting with launch angle, and all that. And I don't like it."
"The key for me is hitting line drives." - Vlad Jr.
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) November 10, 2021
We talked hitting with the @BlueJays slugger after he became the youngest player ever to receive the Hank Aaron Award. pic.twitter.com/9uS9SVvSdP
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Guerrero is one of the most talented hitters in the league, which is why Toronto agreed to a massive 14-year, $500 million extension with him earlier this season.
Turning into an annual 40+ home run threat would have its benefits, but he is a four-time All-Star, and counting for a reason.
