DUNEDIN, Fla. — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was at the centre of attention on Thursday in Toronto Blue Jays camp. Except, the only thing was that he also wasn’t.
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Two days earlier, details leaked out about Guerrero Jr.’s contract negotiations with the Blue Jays, providing a little more clarity on where the two sides stand. With Wednesday’s off day, Thursday morning arrived with a hope that the pending free agent could offer his thoughts on what’s become the storyline of the year so far for the organization.
That didn’t happen, though, as Guerrero Jr. declined a request, through a Blue Jays spokesperson, to speak with media about his contract situation at the club’s player development complex.
That left manager John Schneider to answer questions about his superstar first baseman.
Schneider was asked for his thoughts on how Guerrero Jr. has handled all the attention.
“He’s been good,” replied Schneider. “I think the more people talk about it, the more he feels like he has to talk about it. And, in talking to him, he’s really just focused on this. I know that some things may seem otherwise, but he’s really focused on just trying to come here and win every day.
“I don’t know what it’s like to be in his shoes, but he’s handled it really well.”
That last part can be applied to most people in baseball because Guerrero Jr. is truly in a unique situation that only a few others have experienced. He turns 26 on Sunday and will hit free agency at the end of this campaign with the chance to fetch a contract that exceeds $500 million.
At least to the common observer, the contractual deadlock he’s at with the team hasn’t changed how Guerrero Jr. operates. He’s been his typical jovial self and, in the clubhouse at the Blue Jays’ player development complex, it’s not unusual to see him ribbing teammates and making jokes while smiling ear to ear.
It’s easy to label this situation as a “distraction,” but the reality is that it is probably more so the case for fans and media than it is for players. There are plenty of other things for teammates to worry about and, in the Blue Jays’ case, during a camp that’s gone quite well with no major injuries, the aura is pretty good.
I asked George Springer recently what he was most excited about this season, and his response offered a little bit of a vibe check.
“I think us as a whole,” Springer said. “Guys are ready to play. Obviously, we still have some time left in spring training, but I think guys are on board with what we’ve been preaching, which we’ll keep in-house. But the guys are ready to go and excited for the grind of 162 and looking forward to putting us back in a position where we expected to be.”
Springer has been a leader-type in the clubhouse since he arrived in 2021, but Schneider noted that the Blue Jays have asked Guerrero Jr. to fill more of that role, and he’s stepped up.
“Whether you like it or not, when you’re really good, you kind of become a little bit of a leader or the face of a team,” said Schneider of Guerrero Jr. “He definitely understands that when he talks, people listen. And we’ve kind of pushed for him to do a little bit more of that this year. And he’s done a really good job.”
On Thursday, Guerrero Jr. led with his actions during the Blue Jays’ 6-4 Grapefruit League win over the Baltimore Orioles at TD Ballpark.
He earned a hustle double in the first inning on a ball that got past the shortstop and died in the shallow grass between left and centre field. His head-first slide into second base earned applause from the crowd, as did his tag up to third on the next play.
In the following inning, Guerrero Jr. impressed with the glove as the first baseman made a nice diving stab to his right and quickly got up to fire a throw home. The runner was safe by a hair, but the inspired effort from Guerrero Jr. was nonetheless noticeable.
Later in the game, he added a 117.6 m.p.h. single to left field.
So, on a day when Guerrero Jr. opted not to speak, he did his talking in another way.
