Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette Stepping Up for Blue Jays in Second Half
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The Toronto Blue Jays have been one of the best teams in baseball over the last few weeks of the season.
It has helped get them to the top of the American League East, owning a 77-56 record. They are only a half-game behind the Detroit Tigers for the best record in the league and currently lead the Boston Red Sox by four games in the division. A lot has gone right for the team recently, but it is two of their stars who have helped set the tone for the rest of their teammates to follow.
Shortstop Bo Bichette and first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. came into the season with some pressure. It was the last year the duo was under team control, with both players set to hit free agency after the campaign. The team making the postseason would rely heavily on their ability to produce at the levels they are capable of.
If this does happen to be the last season they are teammates, they are going out with a bang. Guerrero will be with the Blue Jays for the long haul, agreeing to a historic 14-year, $500 million extension earlier in the year. Bichette is still set to hit free agency, and while Toronto would love to bring him back, it will be costly given how well he is performing.
Both players have been red hot in the second half of the season, taking their already strong performance to another level. Thomas Nestico shared the biggest OPS risers in the MLB, comparing first half and second half numbers through Aug. 25. The Blue Jays duo both cracked the top eight.
1st Half vs 2nd Half OPS Risers pic.twitter.com/NIOT8LQYmR
— Thomas Nestico (@TJStats) August 26, 2025
Guerrero, who had an impressive .818 OPS heading into the All-Star break, is performing like one of the best hitters in baseball. He has a 1.096 OPS in the second half, with his 278-point increase being the second biggest in the league. Only Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris had a bigger increase with 467 points.
Getting hot in the second half isn’t abnormal for the five-time All-Star first baseman. His second-half numbers throughout his career have been better than his first-half numbers. Down the stretch when the team needs him most, he shows up.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette Leading The Blue Jays Offensively
Combining his production with that of Bichette, along with the other players who step up behind them, has this offense humming. Like Guerrero, the star shortstop didn’t have a bad first half with an OPS of .767. But he has taken his game to another level in the second half with an OPS of .957.
A bounce back of this proportion was much-needed for Bichette. His 2024 campaign was derailed by injuries and ineffective play when he was healthy. Both he and the team hoped that would be a one-off blip on the radar and to they have been correct about that.
Bichette has returned to the levels he was producing just a few years ago. He is durable, making the most at-bats in baseball with 546 and leading the MLB with 167 hits. A hit machine who will be only 28 years old when Opening Day rolls around in 2026, he is going to get paid this offseason on a long-term deal.
